OVERVIEW
This recipe is a balancing act of sweetness of acidity. There’s the sweetness of the venison and the honey and mustard dressing, the sharpness of the pickled walnut ketchup and the bitterness of the castelfranco – a bitter Italian leaf. There’s also the lovely crunch of radishes and crisp pear. The muntjac cutlets are seasoned, lightly oiled, then cooked for no more than 2 to 3 minutes at a raging heat. Really simple, but the flavours are amazing.
MAKE THE KETCHUP AND DRESSING
To make the ketchup, drain the pickled walnuts and reserve the liquid. In a small saucepan caramelise the sugar over a medium heat until lightly golden. Add the pickled walnuts and stir for 3 minutes. Add the reserved liquid and simmer until reduced by half. Whiz in a blender until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve.
For the dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender and whiz until emulsified. Reserve both until needed.
ASSEMBLE YOUR SALAD
Carefully tear the castelfranco into large pieces, wash and dry. Peel the radishes, cut in half through the length and thinly slice. Peel and quarter the pear, remove the pips and root, then thinly slice. Chop the chives. Mix everything in a large bowl and reserve until serving.
SET UP YOUR EGG
Set up your EGG for direct cooking with the Stainless Steel Grid in place. Your target temperature is really, really hot – about 350°C.
Season the cutlets with the salt and ground clove. Drizzle over the rapeseed oil and grill for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the EGG and allow to rest. Whilst the meat is resting dress the salad with the dressing and serve immediately alongside the cutlets with a bowl of the ketchup.
