Huntress Venison Tartare
Wild food wāhine, winemaker and #EatNZKaitaki, Jannine Rickards (Ngā puhi & Ngāi te Rangi) has her own label, Huntress Wines. She is committed to the full utilisation of whatever kai she hunts.
Knowing where food comes from and showcasing it in its most pure form - for me is the core concept of Huntress life and Huntress wines.
I learnt to hunt from some classic kiwi like guys - one of them my partner ‘Mick the Hunter’. Mick is a great cook when he wants to be and actually wooed me with his cooking ability. Whitebait fritters he had caught fresh and rolled wild poaka roast cooked over the camp fire. I remember making him tartare with venison back steaks the first-time way back and he was very dubious about the idea. However; once he had a taste he was hooked. Often now I come home to back steak out and Mick asking me for some tartare. It’s not often the same (actually never!) as the seasoning depends on what I have at hand and what time of year it is for seasonal produce from the garden or a forage.
My adventurous appetite is something I have had from day dot. I would apparently get up in the early hours and sit in the high chair to share my father’s fry up of liver, kidney, onions and bacon and never fussed over anything put in front of me.
I also hunted with a long-time and foodie friend who will remain anonymous. I had some incredible adventures over the north and south islands with him. An artist / creative with a hunger for the outdoors, he is into spear fishing, hunting, foraging and cooking. He made me some epic meals that still sit in my memory as some of the best things I’ve put in my mouth. I think that his enthusiasm and cooking skills are what encouraged me to pursue hunting further. Always I seem to be led by my gut and am continually keen to try new and wild things.
This is a very simple version of my tartare from late winter/ early spring. I encourage you to play around with the seasoning. Obviously, the classic tartare from France has capers, parsley, mustard, onion, seasoning.
This version which is similar to the one was published in the Capital magazine for Matariki (July issue 2021) and the photo is from Adrian Vercoe who did the shoot for that article.
Always a winner I’ve converted many hesitant friends to this dish and who are now those who know hover it up when they see it landing on the table and keep raving about it.
Venison back steak, sinew removed and meat chilled. Generally, I’ve seasoned it with S & P and olive oil, sometimes with fresh garden herbs overnight and covered.
I like to make up a ‘marinade’ first using what I have at hand.
Dijon mustard
Some homemade plum sauce (Mick mixes this with Worcestershire sauce and garlic and honestly puts it on everything).
Red onion/ onion weed/ garlic powder from Jared Connolly biodynamic home-grown garlic power (Nourishing Foundations)
Fresh herbs, often parsley/ onion weed stalk/ coriander
Sometimes a lick of sweetness to balance the dish, honey/ pomegranate molasses
MIX
Season to taste and serve with chopped herbs/ flowers/ squeeze of citrus or drizzle of olive oil
Eat with crostini or toast.
*Seriously not a recipe for anyone who needs to follow one find one on google or take time to tune into your intuition and connect/ learn what’s going to work by trying it out. Taste, use your senses.
Bon appetit or Kia mākona
Recipe by Jannine Rickards aka the Huntress
See more: www.huntress.co.nz or on @huntress_wines
