grilled venison racks with fire roasted eggplant tabbouleh
Ras el hanout is a traditionally Moroccan ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ spice blend which happens to pair wonderfully with the flavors of grilled venison. Perfectly tender and beautifully lean venison takes center stage on top of a big, herbaceous grain salad.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
2 First Light Venison Racks
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 tablespoon Ras el Hanout spice blend
Salt
For the Tabbouleh
2 Globe Eggplant
3 cups cooked Bulgur (or quinoa)
2 tablespoons EVOO
¼ cup roughly Chopped mint
¼ cup roughly Chopped basil
¼ cup roughly Chopped parsley
½ cup chopped Sundried Tomatoes
Juice of One Lemon
Method
Bring your grill to medium high heat and the venison racks to room temperature before cooking. Immediately place the entire eggplant over the fire and turn occasionally. The goal is to evenly char the outside of the entire eggplant. Brush the venison racks lightly with EVOO, then season with salt and the ras el hanout spice.
Grill the venison racks for 15-20 minutes, turning as needed, until a thermometer inserted into the middle reads 130. Meanwhile, make the tabbouleh by mixing the cooked bulgur with the EVOO, herbs, sun dried tomatoes and the lemon juice. Season with salt to taste and set aside.
When the eggplant becomes charred and tender, remove them from the grill - they should be drooping a bit. Carefully cut the eggplant in half down the center and scoop the un-charred inner flesh into the tabbouleh. Stir to combine.
Remove the venison racks from the grill and let them rest on a cutting board for five minutes before cutting into individual ribs. Arrange the ribs on top of the tabbouleh and finish with a drizzle of EVOO and a pinch of flakey salt.
