Persian Slow-Cooked Venison with Rhubarb

RECIPE: Persian Slow-Cooked Venison with Rhubarb

Serves 4

1 pack Silver Fern Farms Venison Diced (500g)

1 tablespoon olive oil or clarified butter

1 red onion finely sliced

Pinch saffron threads, soaked in ¼ cup boiling water

1 ½ tablespoons pomegranate molasses 

Juice of 1 lemon

1 cup beef or chicken stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

500g rhubarb

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp cinnamon

1 garlic clove

1 lemons cut into quarters

1 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper to season

Remove the venison from its packaging and allow it to bloom.  Bring a frying pan to a high heat and sear your venison on all sides until brown. Set aside. Add onions to the pan with a little more oil if necessary.  Cook over a medium heat until golden brown.

In a casserole dish, add venison, saffron and soaking liquid, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice and stock. Bring gently to the boil, and then turn down heat, cover pan and leave to simmer gently for 1 hour.

TIP: Wet some baking paper and press as a cover over the meat inside the casserole dish to form a seal and replace lid.  This prevents meat from drying out while cooking.

In a frying pan, fry mint and parsley in a little olive oil, tossing them quickly so they do not burn.  Stir into the venison and continue to slowly simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Cut rhubarb stalks into 3cm lengths.  Add rhubarb to casserole dish and simmer uncovered until rhubarb is cooked.  Adjust seasoning of sauce with salt and pepper if necessary before