96 http://www.rifleshootermagazine.co.ukpepper. This was left cooking while we added the loin to the
fire, lying it on the griddle. After another 10 minutes, and a
quick check to make sure the meat was medium to rare, we
brought it all back to the table.
Once laid on a wooden serving plate, the meat was then
cut into inch-thick slices at a 45° angle and the garnish of
apricots and courgettes was added, finished off with
plenty of feta cheese, pomegranate seeds, salt,
pepper and basil. Silence ensued and nods of
pure delight as the meal was devoured. The loin
was so tender and when eaten with the apricots
and courgettes, the flavours were fantastic.
So has Cai changed my opinion of venison?
He certainly has. A few weeks after our session,
I had cooked on a BBQ several venison steaks
for the family that came from a fallow deer I had taken
at the end of the season, with the help of Cai’s rub. That all
went down surprisingly well so perhaps my attitude is
changing. I am not a cook, and I have to admit, I spend little
or no time in the kitchen, but I do make a superb scrambled
egg! It is not all about the meat, but the balance of the
flavours that enhance it.
I asked my guests what they had learned from Cai’s
workshop. Some were surprised how tasty and tender the
venison was, as they were expecting a strong gamey tang.
Others were fascinated with the cooking techniques, andenjoyed the al fresco style, where everyone was involved,
feeling part of the process. Some were not aware of the
different species of deer that are in the UK and how the
hunting seasons change. Overall, they really admired Cai’s
confidence and how simple cooking on an open fire can be
just as tasty as the food cooked in expensive restaurants.
What do I take away from this experience? Firstly, venison
has definitely gone up in my estimations, but perhaps not yet
to the same level as beef or lamb. That could change as I
improve my cooking skills. We do eat with our eyes, and to
see such vibrant colours presented in a natural environment
definitely enhanced the food.
When I travelled the depths of Namibia and the Sahara
Desert with my family, I was always at my happiest when
working around a fire – and to step back from our
overcomplicated lives, keeping things simple, is perhaps
something we all should do every so often. There is nothing
more satisfying for a hunter than to harvest a beast and then
devour it around an open fire. It is as pure as it gets.
After spending three hours with Cai in his country kitchen, I
was able to understand another side to this young hunter
from the depths of Wales. His passion for cooking was there
for all to see, but it was also his interaction and ability to
teach others that came across so naturally.
Thank you, Cai, for both an informative and scrumptious
afternoon out.»
Discover more
about Cai’s cooking
workshops and event
catering at http://www.
gameandflames.comINTERVIEW WITH CAI AP BRYN
“THERE IS NOTHING MORE SATISFYING THAN TO HARVEST A
BEAST AND THEN DEVOUR IT AROUND AN OPEN FIRE”
BELOW: Griddled
venison loin with
apricots, feta
and pomegranate