Little did we know the South Island would provide the ultimate playground for my husband and his Wellington hunting companions.
The ritual is always the same. The hunting crew arrives late Thursday night.
They swiftly drop bags in rooms, grab a beer and gather around the map, checking off the designated hunting spots for the weekend.
There is a slight buzz in the air. A spa follows, then bed.
The next morning the buzz intensifies while I’m skirting around the edges trying not to get in the way.
The corporate world has been discarded, along with business suits and ties, and replaced with the sense of freedom and adventure that comes with the pending hunt.
Each hunter seamlessly falls into their own niche within the group, creating an equilibrium.
Blue, the suburban Border collie, is glued to his dad’s side, wondering if he will be included in the weekend’s thrilling activities.
As the self-appointed "cook", I am entrusted with the task of preparing warm, hearty meals that can be reheated in a pot.
Despite the men frequently expressing their gratitude and insisting that I need not go to any trouble, I take pleasure in providing them with something to anticipate, especially on those long, cold nights when they may not return to the hut until the early hours of the morning.
So, there will always be meat, sauce and carbs taking in all varietal options and hopefully not repeated twice in a row.
That is my mission. And baking, always baking!
Fast-forward to Sunday afternoon, and I know the hunters have returned as Blue, full of excitement, paces in front of the gate, eagerly anticipating a prized bone.
The dishevelled, blood-stained clothes and bodies limping with exhaustion reveal a glimpse of the adventures they have had and are eager to share.
But first, the unpacking and washing of vehicles.
As part of the final preparations, the deer carcasses are suspended from trees around the property, wrapped in an assortment of children’s duvet covers featuring characters such as Dora the Explorer and Winnie the Pooh.
This peculiar sight never fails to evoke a nervous giggle from me.
The carcasses will be delivered to the butcher on the way to the airport the following morning.
After long hot showers, dinner is a festive affair, a blow-by-blow account of the best shot, the one that got away, the treacherous climb to recover the fallen beast and the foot mileage clocked up over the vast expanses of back-country Otago and Southland.
If, like us, you are lucky enough to have a freezer full of venison, you might appreciate these recipes that make good use of the copious supply of sausages and mince.
These cuts lend themselves to warming comfort dishes and, made in bulk, will provide quick mid-week meals or lunches on the weekends.
If you don’t have access to venison, beef will work just as well.
The Italian meatballs are lovely served with spaghetti or mashed potatoes, or my son’s favourite, in a bread roll for lunch after Saturday
sports.
Similarly, the meatloaf can be sliced cold and pan-fried on both sides to warm and caramelise and served in a sandwich with lettuce, red onion and mayo or aioli.
I have also included a dinner-party worthy recipe to elevate the backstrap or fillet, which requires minimal effort but delivers maximum flavour.
Stuffed venison meatballs
Meatballs
350g venison sausage (I used Cumberland)
350g venison mince
3 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 medium onion, grated
150g fresh breadcrumbs
1½ tsp salt
Ground black pepper to taste
100g natural yoghurt
1 egg lightly beaten
10 bocconcini or a block of mozzarella cheese cut into small cubes
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Tomato sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
4 x 400g cans whole peel tomatoes
200g tomato paste
50g brown sugar
2 tsp salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
To prepare the tomato sauce, place the olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan on low heat, add the garlic, and gently cook until it becomes fragrant — you don’t want it to brown, or it will taste bitter. Add the rest of the ingredients, breaking up the tomatoes with a masher, and let the sauce simmer gently for 1-1 ½ hours, stirring every so often so it doesn’t stick. It is ready when slightly reduced and is a rich deep red colour.
You can use a stick blender if you prefer a smoother puree or leave it rustic.
This will make a decent amount of sauce so you don’t need all of it for the meatballs. Any leftovers are great on pizzas or will freeze well.
While the sauce is cooking, prepare the meatballs. Preheat oven to 180degC. Place the mince in a large mixing bowl with parsley, oregano, onion, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
Whisk the yoghurt and egg together and add to the bowl and mix to combine.
I always fry a teaspoon of mixture at this point to make sure the seasoning is right. Adjust the mixture if necessary, then with wet hands, form the mixture into 10 meatballs pressing a bocconcini into the centre of each one and reform into a smooth ball, making sure the cheese is completely covered with the meat.
Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan and brown the balls on all sides, placing them into a Dutch oven or deep-sided baking dish ready to finish cooking in the oven with the sauce.
When the sauce is ready, pour over the meatballs and cover with a tight-fitting lid or tin foil and bake for 20 minutes. Take the lid off, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and finish browning for a further 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.
Venison meatloaf
Method
1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
450g spinach leaves
(You can substitute the following three ingredients for store-bought barbecue sauce if preferred)
60ml ketchup
2 Tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tsp vinegar
300g venison mince
300g venison sausages (I use Cumberland), filling only
60g fresh breadcrumbs
2 eggs
60ml plain yoghurt
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
3 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp salt
Ground black pepper
10 rashers of streaky smoked bacon
Method
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onion. Gently fry until softened, then add the garlic and fry for a minute more. Set aside. Don’t wash the frypan yet.
Heat the oven to 180degC. Wash the spinach and place in a colander over the sink. Boil the kettle and pour boiling water over the spinach until it is wilted. Rinse with cold water, spread on a tea towel, roll up and squeeze the excess water out of the spinach. Roughly chop.
Mix the ketchup, sugar and vinegar in a bowl (Or use store-bought barbecue sauce instead).
Combine the mince and sausage meat (squeeze from casings) in a large bowl with the breadcrumbs, spinach and cooled onion. Whisk together the eggs, yoghurt and seasonings, plus a generous amount of pepper, then mix with your (wet) hands. Fry a little of the mixture to check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
From here you can make 1 large loaf or mini, individual loaves. On a lined baking tray, shape into your desired shape with wet hands. Brush with the ketchup glaze, then bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and arrange the bacon rashers over the top, overlapping, and tucking the edges underneath the loaf. Brush with the ketchup glaze and bake for 30 minutes, applying another coat of glaze in between.
Cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
Venison backstrap, miso carrot puree and charred broccoli
1 venison backstrap
Olive oil
¼ cup raw sugar
½ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves crushed
½ cup Tbsp chilli flakes
½ cup soy sauce
Method
Preheat the oven to 180degC.
Roll the venison in a little bit of olive oil and the raw sugar. Heat the frypan to medium/high and brown the backstrap for a minute or two on both sides until nicely caramelised. Then place in the oven for 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness of your backstrap. Remove from oven and double wrap in tin foil to rest for at least 10 minutes or more.
Heat second measure of oil to hot, add garlic and chilli, then remove from the heat and add soy sauce. Slice venison and arrange on a platter, pour over the marinade.
Carrot puree
2 cups peeled and diced carrots
2 Tbsp butter
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp miso paste
2 tsp grated ginger
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180degC
Gently fry the carrots in butter for 10 minutes, then add milk, cover with a lid and simmer until fork tender. You will need to stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking. Strain off the milk (but don’t discard), add the ginger and miso to the carrots and whizz in a NutriBullet or food processor, adding back enough milk to get the consistency you like. If you have used a food processor, strain the puree through a fine sieve and keep it warm.
Serve alongside the venison.
Charred broccolini
2 heads of broccolini
1 Tbsp olive oil
Flaky sea salt and ground black pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 200degC
Line an oven tray with baking paper. Toss the broccolini with the olive oil, salt and pepper and spread on the tray. Bake for about 5 minutes turning once.
Test with a sharp knife; there should be a bit of yield and the broccolini should just be starting to char on the edge; it may need a little longer if it is still too hard.
