Roasted fillet of springbok

As the chef patron of Haute Cabrière Cellar Restaurant, French Connection and Cotage Fromage, Matthew Gordon has a busy schedule. Add to that his recently opened Grillroom in Franschhoek, and it's surprising the man ever gets time to sleep. Still, it didn't take much convincing to get the chef extraordinaire to take time out to sample a bottle of Glenelly The Glass Collection 2009 Shiraz - and create a delicious dish to match.

 

Housed in one of the original Franschhoek homes, walls of The Grillroom are adorned with historical photographs of the surrounding region. Nestled in a far corner is the in-house butchery that supplies quality cuts to the restaurant kitchen and anyone looking for something to throw on the braai back home. An impressive walk-in wine cellar at the top of the stairs entices one to linger, while contemporary décor together with cosy fireplaces create atmosphere.

It's here that I meet up with Matthew who naturally opted to serve a meaty dish with the Shiraz. "The character of this wine was spicy but smooth and very complex for a wine so young [a 2009 vintage]," he says. "The rich game flavour of the springbok, the earthy flavours of the butternut, the spice in the sauce and in the cabbage, as well as the berries used as garnish, will all pick up and complement the best of this Shiraz."

Matthew loves working with local flavours, but always with a twist, so he decided to pair the springbok with butternut wontons. Of equal importance to Matthew is texture, hence the crispy cabbage, smooth melt-in-yourmouth springbok loin and cream wontons. Together with the Shiraz, it's a perfect combination.

Roasted fillet of springbok with steamed butternut wontons, pickled red cabbage, baby corn and spiced jus
SERVES FOUR

4X 200g portions springbok, cut from the loin
100ml olive oil
200g baby corn
250ml reduced venison or beef stock
50ml honey
½ onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ cup red wine
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
½ t cardamom (whole)
100g gooseberries
100g mixed berries

Seal off the springbok on a hot grill and roast in the oven at 180°C until mediumrare. In a pan, sweat the onion and garlic, add the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and cook further. Deglaze with the red wine, add the reduced stock and reduce by a third. Strain through a fine sieve and set the sauce aside. In another pan, warm the honey, add the berries and remove from the heat. Cut baby corns into lengths and pan fry in a little butter.

RED CABBAGE
1 T oil
1 onion, chopped
450g red cabbage, finely shredded
200g apples, peeled cored and diced
30g root ginger, peeled and grated finely
pinch of cinnamon
120ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, red cabbage and apple and cook gently for five minutes. Add the ginger, cinnamon and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated.

BUTTERNUT PURÉE WONTONS
1 large butternut, peeled, cubed and steamed until soft
100g unsalted butter
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper
150g small-cut wonton wrappers
1 egg (for egg wash)

Purée the steamed butternut while warm, adding small blocks of butter, then add seasoning and allow to cool. Egg wash half of the wonton wrapper, place a small amount of the butternut mixture inside and fold it over, sealing the sides with a fork. Be careful not to overfill otherwise you will have a problem closing them and they might burst when cooking. Steam for two minutes just before serving.

The Grillroom, 9 Huguenot Road, Franschhoek. Tel 021 876 2548