Peppered springbok loin on avocado

Peppered springbok loin on avocado tempura and baby leave salad with warm apricot and Peppadew chutney
(Serves 4)

For Peppered springbok
• 4 x 180g pieces of springbok loin (or any other lean venison loin)
• 30ml extra virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper and Maldon sea salt

For tempura salad
• 1 firm avocado cut into slices
• 50g shitake mushrooms cleaned and quartered
• 2 small red onions sliced into thin rings
• 1 carrot sliced into julienne
• 250ml ice cold soda water
• 250ml plain flour
• 250ml corn flour
• 30ml lemon juice
• Fine table salt
• 100g of bay leaves

Lime oil
• Zest of one lime
• 45ml olive oil

For apricot salad
• 20ml olive oil
• 250ml dried apricots
• 1 green apple peeled and finely diced
• 1 yellow peach peeled and finely diced
• 3 pearl onions finely sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 4cm fresh ginger grated
• 4 Peppadews sliced
• 125ml apple cider vinegar
• 125ml white sugar
• 125ml water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Pre heat oven to 200°C. Pre heat deep fryer to 190°C
To make the lime oil combine the lime zest and olive oil and set aside. For the chutney heat the olive oil in a saucepan on a medium heat. Add the dried apricots, apple, peach, onion, garlic and ginger and sauté until soft, do not allow to brown. Add vinegar, sugar and water to the apricot mixture and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Season and reduce the chutney until the liquid has almost evaporated. When the chutney is a thick consistency stir in the sliced Peppadews and remove from the heat.
To prepare the springbok, rub with olive oil and season with black pepper and sea salt. Heat a non-stick pan and sear the springbok portions until brown on all sides. Place the springbok portions on a oven tray and place in the oven for 10 min or until medium rare. Allow the meat to rest for at least 5min when removed from oven.
While the springbok is cooking, using a stainless steel mixing bowl combine the plain flour, corn flour and a pinch of salt. Into flour mixture whisk the soda water and lemon juice until a smooth paste forms the consistency of double cream. Dip the avocado, onions rings, shitake mushrooms and carrot julienne in the batter and drop into the deep fryer individually, fry until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and season with fine salt.
To assemble the dish, carve the Springbok into thin slices and place on kitchen paper. Put some of the apricot chutney in the middle of 4 plates. Stack the Springbok, tempura vegetables, avocado and baby leaves together on top of the chutney to created a mixed salad effect.
Drizzle the lime oil over each salad and serve immediately.