Ingredients

Method

For the Mediterranean salad:
• 2 red peppers
• 2 yellow peppers
• 200 g baby marrows
• 150 g cherry tomatoes
• olive oil spray
• Maldon salt, to taste
• 40 g rocket
• 100 g Woolworths chevin
• 3 T white wine vinegar
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the crispy barley:
• 2 cups boiling water
• salt, to taste
• 100 g pearl barley
• ½ t Spanish smoked paprika
• ¼ t cayenne pepper
• 500 g Woolworths free-range venison
• 100 g Woolworths Wagyu beef fat
For the chimichurri:
• 1 cup water
• 1 T salt
• 20 g Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 20 g fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 1 head garlic, separated into cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 ½ t bird’s-eye chilli, chopped
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ t Spanish smoked paprika

Method

Ingredients

1. Prepare a braai. Trim and seed the peppers, then cut into chunks. Place the peppers, baby marrows and cherry tomatoes onto a cast-iron multi grill on the braai, spray with olive oil and season with salt. Cook for 10–15 minutes, or until a wonderful char on the veggies

2. To make the crispy barley, place the boiling water into a small saucepan, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Add the barley and bring to a boil. Cook for 10–12 minutes, testing occasionally. When tender, drain the barley, then spread out on a baking tray lined with kitchen paper. Place in the oven at 120°C for 10–15 minutes. Heat a little olive oil in a cast-iron pan on the braai, then lightly fry the barley until crispy. Sprinkle over the paprika and cayenne pepper and season well with salt. Set aside.

3. Blot the venison using kitchen paper, spray with olive oil, place on the warm braai grid and sear all over. Season generously with salt on each side. Cook for 5–6 minutes on each side, then set aside to rest.

4. To make the chimichurri, bring the water and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Stir to dissolve. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add the parsley, oregano, garlic, chilli, vinegar and olive oil and slowly stir into the salty water. Stir in the paprika until well combined. Adjust the seasoning.

5. To assemble the salad, cut the peppers to the desired size, keeping them chunky. Place the rocket on a flat plate or in a bowl and arrange the roasted vegetables on top. Roughly break over the chevin. Mix the vinegar with a little olive oil and seasoning, then pour over the salad. Sprinkle over the crispy barley.

6. Heat the flambadou in the braai and slice the meat and place onto a plate. Place the Wagyu beef fat into the flambadou, allow to melt, then pour the warm fat over the meat to bring it to the desired temperature.

7. Spoon the chimichurri over the meat and season with more salt if necessary. Serve the meat with the salad.

Cook's notes:

· Venison doesn’t have fat to protect it and keep moist; the more you cook it, the tougher it gets. Sear over a high heat, then allow to rest at very low heat on a stainless-steel cooling rack placed on top of a tray.

· Using an olive oil spray coats vegetables nicely, keeping them moist. Spray them while cooking when the exterior looks dry.

· Chimichurri should be a great mix of herbaceous flavours, garlic, spice (chilli), salt and acidity. Feel free to adjust the acidity, salt, garlic and heat to your liking. You can use it on meat, as a dressing over baked potatoes, salad or anything you like!

· Add some minced garlic to your vinaigrette for extra flavour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

· If you don’t have a flambadou, heat the beef fat in a pan until very hot, then slowly pour over the meat. Take care not to burn the fat, or it will turn bitter

Find more braai recipes here.

Photographer: Jan Ras
Videographer: Romy Wilson
Food assistant: Lerato Motau
Stylist: Abigail Donnelly