Venison Fillet Rolled in Herbs, Wrapped in Prosciutto
Recipe by Tobie Puttock from Tobie & Matt: Asia
There’s plenty going on here, although compared to the rest of our matches, this one is pretty straightforward. Considerations include the earthy flavour of the venison, the cooking method, the prosciutto, the seasoning and the sauce. Full bodied reds, preferably those with good structure and a bit of spice, should do the trick nicely, and Shiraz would be a good place to start. Look for names like Peter Lehman, Yalumba, Torbreck, Wynns and Clonakilla.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 800 g Venison fillet
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon picked marjoram
- 1 tablespoon picked Flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon picked Mint
- Lemon
- 1 tablespoon Caper rinsed and roughly chopped
- 12 Slices prosciutto
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Splash red wine
- 50 g Butter
Method
- Use a sharp knife to remove any sinew from the venison fillet.
- Slice almost all the way through the venison horizontally to butterfly it, if possible make a second horizontal slice to really butterfly it flat.
- Use your hands to press down on the meat to flatten it even more. Use a knife to make some criss cross incisions about1cm deep, this will allow the flavours from the herbs to penetrate the meat.
- Combine the garlic, marjoram, parsley, mint, lemon zest and the capers in a little bowl, drizzle enough olive oil to combine the ingredients to a rough paste.
- Lay the prosciutto slices side by side in two rows to make a big square. Place the butter flied venison fillet on the prosciutto.
- Smear the herb mixture over the criss-crosses in the meat and season well with salt and pepper.
- Roll the fillet in the prosciutto so it resembles its original shape.
- Secure the prosciutto with some string.
- Seal the venison until the prosciutto is browned on all sides, place into a pre-heated oven on 200C for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the meat to a tray and allow to rest for at least ten minutes.
- While the meat is resting pop the empty pan onto the stove over a high heat, once the pan is hot splash in a little red wine, about half a glass should do the job. Once the wine has evaporated by about half remove from the heat and add the butter. Shake the pan around to combine the butter with the wine.
- Slice the meat and serve immediately with steamed or braised greens and the red wine sauce.
Notes & Tips
I must confess I have done this recipe many time before using a beef fillet, this recipe can also be used for pork loin. I love to serve this sliced at the table so guests can help themselves.
