Venison Tataki with Kumara Crisps & Puha Pesto

1 Venison backstrap or striploin
Salt & Pepper

Tataki Marinade
¼ cup olive oil
1T garlic, minced
2T horopito spice
½ cup kacapmans soy sauce
½ cup kikomen soya sauce, low salt
1T lemon juice / zest
1 cup mirin
Puha Pesto
200g Puha
300g Watercress
¾ cup Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Kumura Crisps
2 litre canola oil
1 NZ purple Kumara

Season venison tenderloin well with salt & pepper. Put a large heavy pan over high heat and drizzle oil into the pan. Sear the tenderloin for approximately 3 minutes per side or until browned around the exterior. At this point the tenderloin is still raw, set aside to rest.

To marinade, place the minced garlic, horopito spice, soy sauce, mirin & lemon juice into a pot & mix well to combine. Heat & bring to boil, simmer for 20 minutes & then set aside to cool. Place the venison into marinade and leave for 4 hours.

To make the pesto, wash the Puha and watercress, dry and place in a blender. Slowly add the olive oil until it forms a smooth paste, season to taste.

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan or alternatively you can use a deep fryer until ireaches 180°C. Peel Kumura with peeler to make long thin chip like wafer. Place in a deep fryer till golden and then drain on towel, season to taste.

To serve, slice venison thinly and arrange 6 slices on each plate. Place a neat pile of Kumura on the top of the venison, drizzle each plate with the pesto on and around the venison and finish with micro herbs.

Recipe from Taste at the Cloud