This Thai Venison Salad is absolutely delicious for the still-warm autumn evenings when you’re craving something fresh and tasty. This salad is one of my favourite dishes from our local Thai takeaway and is deceptively easy to pull together at home. Venison is a lovely twist that can stand up with the beautifully fresh lime dressing. We used Silver Fern Farms diced venison which we can get at our local supermarket. We can also purchase venison direct from Duncan Venison – their website is here. You’re after venison fillet, something with good flavour and minimal fat that will sear well. Alternatively use beef fillet thinly sliced, it will be absolutely delicious. As always, I recommend purchasing the highest quality you can afford for maximum benefits.
We adore New Zealand venison in our house. Naturally lean and a beautiful source of iron, venison has a rich flavour and delicate texture that lends itself to a wide variety of dishes. As we move into the cooler months, think rich venison stews and ragu, elegant winter salads or classic family fare like burgers or meatballs. Classically, venison favours herbs like bay leaves, sage and rosemary, and spices such as pepper, cloves and juniper berries. I freely swap beef or lamb for venison, especially to lift old favourites into something new; this Thai venison salad is a great example.
This salad does rely on handfuls of fresh herbs – coriander, basil and mint – to be used as salad leaves. They are integral to the flavour of the dish. The little plastic packets in the supermarket are not going to suffice in terms of quantity. Chinese supermarkets or weekend farmers markets sell fresh herbs in big bunches for the same price or less. If you can find them, Vietnamese mint and Thai basil are much more authentic. But for simplicity’s sake, standard mint and basil work well too. This salad packs well for lunches the next day – keep the dressing separate to prevent things from going soggy.
Ingredients
- 500gm venison fillet
- Olive oil
- 1/2 iceberg lettuce, washed
- 200gm cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 telegraph cucumber, sliced
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts
- 1 handful coriander leaves
- 1 handful Thai basil leaves
- 1 handful mint leaves
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- Red chillies, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- Lime wedges to serve
Instructions
Heat a little olive oil in a pan over a high heat. Season the venison and then sear the fillets on each side for three to four minutes. Remove from the pan and leave to rest while . In a large bowl, tear the iceberg lettuce into chunks. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, mung beans, fresh herbs and toss together. Divide into serving bowls and put aside. Slice the venison and top the salad. In a little jug, mix together the lime juice, garlic, brown sugar and fish sauce. Pour over the salad and serve with sliced chillies and lime wedges on the side.
