Venison Bobotie

Feeds 1 - 4 people
Prep time 10m
Cook time 55m

Description

Bobotie, pronounced ba-boor-tea, is often called South Africa’s national dish. This comforting dish combines spiced curried meat, flecked with pops of sweetness from fruit and chutney. A baked creamy golden custard topping is the crowning glory on top. Traditionally it is made with minced beef or lamb, here we are using our wild venison mince as a delicious alternative. Venison’s slightly gamey flavour can withstand the strong spice flavours, resulting in a comforting and satisfying dish which must be tasted.

Ingredients

Venison Bobotie:
2 slices white bread
300ml full fat milk
2 onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
25g butter
500g venison mince
2 tbsp curry paste
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
A pinch of chilli flakes
2 tbsp mango chutney
50g sultanas
5 bay leaves
2 large eggs
Small handful flat leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
Yellow Rice:
240g long grain rice or basmati rice
½ tsp turmeric
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp raisins or sultanas
A generous knob of butter

Method

Venison Bobotie:
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Pour 100ml of the milk over the bread and set aside to soak.
Chop the onion and peel and crush the ginger cloves. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a medium heat. When the butter has melted add the onions, with a pinch of salt and cook the onions for 10 minutes until they are soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Remove the onion and garlic from the pan and set aside while you cook the venison mince. Heat a dash of oil in the same pan on a medium-high heat and brown the venison mince, breaking it up with the back of a spoon as it cooks.
Add the onion and garlic back into the pan, along with the curry paste, dried mixed herbs, chilli flakes, mango chutney and 2 of the bay leaves. Season well with salt and pepper, then simmer gently for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add the soaked bread to the venison mixture. Reserve the excess milk. Stir well so that the bread is fully incorporated. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof dish, press down and smooth the top.
Make the topping by whisking together the eggs, the rest of the milk and the reserved milk from soaking the bread. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the topping over the venison and scatter the remaining bay leaves on top.
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, until the topping is set and golden brown. Finely chop the parsley leaves then scatter over the top before serving. Traditionally this can also be served alongside yellow rice.
Yellow Rice:
Rinse the rice well to remove excess starch.
Add the rice to a saucepan and cover it with twice the volume of cold water. Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon stick, caster sugar, raisins and butter.
Bring to the boil then reduce to simmer and cook gently for 10 - 15 minutes or until all the rice has been absorbed. Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve alongside the bobotie.

Venison Bobotie

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