Roasted Ostrich with Vegetables

Ostriches are native to Central and Southern Africa, which perhaps explains why they are not traditionally eaten more often in the West. In modern times, however, ostrich farming around the world combined with vacuum packing techniques has allowed easy access to fresh ostrich meat for millions who never had the opportunity to taste and enjoy it before. It is a gamey meat, similar in many ways to venison, very low in fat and thus a healthier choice than the likes of beef.

ostrich fillet (200-400 g)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper, freshly cracked
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. English mustard
1 tsp. golden syrup
thyme
1 tsp. Italian herbs
1 carrot, cut into strips
green beans, cut into long strips
1 large potato
½ cup milk
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C/200°C fan, Gas Mark 7).

Mix ingredients in a bowl (besides the fillet), once everything is mix, massage it into the fillet. Once done, cover with cling film and pop it into the fridge. I let mine marinate overnight so the flavour soaked in.

Now to cook it, heat up a frying pan with some olive oil, make sure it’s nice and hot. We're not going to cook it, just seal it, so fry on one side for about 1 minute, then turn and seal for 1 minute.

Once you're done, put the fillet in an oven tray along with whatever juice was left in the pan and from the dish it was marinated in. add your strips of carrots and green beans and cover with foil.

Pop it into preheated oven. Allow to cook how you desire, I let mine get well done, it wasn't as dry as I expected and it still retained load of moisture.

I also made a smooth mash potato, boil the potato till it’s cooked. Mash in a bowl, add the milk and salt and pepper to taste. Keep on mixing till it’s nice and smooth.

I also made a quick cheese and spinach sauce, equal quantities butter and flour in a hot pan. Wait for the mixture to brown, add some milk while keep on stirring. Add some cheddar cheese (I think this is the best cheese to use in a sauce). Once it thicken, take off the stove and add some chopped spinach and stir it in.

Pour the sauce over the fillet while eating, it really is an awesome side.