I had grand plans to make some amazing winter meals with all of the wild game roasts sitting in my freezer. But, life happens and plans change. I still have quite a few roasts that need used up before the next hunting season rolls around so I'm using them for some delicious summer meals like this Mediterranean bowl recipe. It's light, refreshing, full of flavor and the perfect summertime meal. Inspired by one of my favorite fast casual restaurants, this one is sure to be a new favorite. So get out one of those roasts I know you're still hanging onto and let's get cooking!
How do you braise pronghorn?
Many varieties of wild game meat benefit greatly from either a "hot and fast" or "low and slow" cooking. There is no in between. I prefer to cook my roasts low and slow unless I slice them and use them for something like Philly cheesesteaks. If you want your meat to be flavorful and tender, it's important to braise it properly. Start by coating the meat in spices and sear the outside until it develops a nice brown color. Then cover the meat in a braising liquid and cook it at a low temperature for the good part of a day. The browning gives the meat a flavor boost and the braising is what makes it tender. I prefer to use my dutch oven for braising because it can go from stove to oven without dirtying an extra pan. But if you don't have one, you can sear the meat in a pan and transfer it to a crock pot. Once it's done, pull the meat apart into bite size pieces and put them back in the braising liquid to keep the meat moist.
How to make saffron rice:
Saffron rice sounds fancy but is really pretty simple to make and so much more flavorful than regular rice. Saffron has a very unique flavor profile that adds a sweet floral flavor to this rice. Those little orange threads can be expensive but you really don't need much to make saffron rice. Start by taking a pinch of saffron threads and break into smaller pieces. Place the pieces in a small glass bowl and cover with boiling water. This helps the flavor of the saffron bloom so a little bit goes a long way. Next, sauté some diced onion in olive oil and add in a fragrant rice like basmati. Sauté the rice until it starts to brown to add some extra flavor. Add in some vegetable stock and the saffron liquid and cook the rice according to package directions. I like to cook rice in my Instant Pot but you can also make it on the stove. The result is a beautiful yellow-colored fragrant rice that makes the perfect foundation for this dish.
What is Harissa?
Harissa is a Mediterranean condiment originally from Tunisia. It's a spicy, vinegary, flavorful sauce that instantly brightens any dish you put it on. You can make it however spicy or mild you want depending on the type of chiles you use. I like to use a good amount of chiles de arbol to make it spicy. But you can omit them and use more guajillo chiles or a milder ancho chile if you're not into the spice. It will still be delicious and full of flavor!
What is Whipped Feta?
Many variations of whipped feta have been circulating the internet these days. It's a trend that I'm 100% on board with. It's salty, sweet, funky, and the perfect addition to my Mediterranean bowls. For this recipe, I made it a little more saucy so that I could drizzle it but you can use less yogurt if you want it to be more of a dip consistency.
Putting it all together:
If you've been following along for a while now, you know I love my toppings. Bowl meals are one of my favorite things to eat because each bite is a little bit different depending on what components you get. For this dish, start by spreading a layer of saffron rice on the bottom of your bowl. Add a layer of kale ribbons. Top with pronghorn and drizzle some of the braising liquid over the meat. Arrange cucumber and tomato salad, pickled onions (not pictured - I know, I forgot), and olives around the meat and drizzle with your homemade sauces. Top with fresh chopped mint and parsley and enjoy!
Mediterranean Pronghorn Bowls with Harissa and Whipped Feta
Equipment
- instant pot (for rice - optional)
Ingredients
Mediterranean Spiced Pronghorn Roast:
- 1 ½ lb pronghorn sirloin roast (or other wild game roast)
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 yellow onion, cut in half lengthwise then sliced
- 2 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 bay leaves
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 cups stock
- water (enough to cover roast)
Saffron Rice:
- 2 cups basmati rice, dry
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pinch saffron threads
- 3 ¼ cups vegetable stock
- ¼ cup boiling water
Cucumber and Tomato Salad:
- 1 English cucumber
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 2 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
- ½ garlic clove, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper, to taste
Pickled Onions:
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Harissa:
- 3 guajillo chiles
- 10 chiles de arbol
- hot water
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup olive oil
Whipped Feta:
- 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ clove garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ lemon, zested and juiced
- ½ teaspoon honey
- salt and pepper, to taste
Other Ingredients:
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale, cut into ribbons
- ¾ cup kalamata olives, cut in half lengthwise
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Mediterranean Spiced Pronghorn Roast:
- Preheat oven to 250°F.
- Combine all spices except bay leaves. Rub half of the spice mixture on the roast. Reserve the other half for later.
- Heat dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add in olive oil. Once olive oil is heated, add in roast. Sear 2-3 minutes per side or until browned. Remove roast to a plate.
- Add in more olive oil if the pan is dry. Add in onion and garlic. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Add in spices and cook an additional 1 minute.
- Place roast on top of vegetables and pour in stock. Add in bay leaves. Add enough water to cover the roast. Bring to a boil. Cover and place in oven for 6-8 hours. Check on it occasionally. If the roast is no longer submerged, flip it a few times during the cooking process.
- When roast is done, pull apart into bite-size pieces and place back in the broth. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Saffron Rice:
- Rice can be cooked in an Instant Pot or on the stove. These instructions are for the Instant Pot.
- Break up saffron threads into smaller pieces in a small glass bowl. Cover with boiling water. Set aside.
- Heat Instant Pot on high heat using the sauté function. Add in olive oil. Once olive oil is heated, add in diced onion. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally, about 2-3 minutes. Add in basmati rice and cook until rice is fragrant and starting to brown, stirring frequently, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add in vegetable stock and saffron mixture. Stir to combine. Place lid on Instant Pot. Make sure the venting knob is in the sealing position. Set to rice setting. When the timer goes off, do a quick pressure release. Fluff rice with a fork and keep warm until ready to serve.
Cucumber and Tomato Salad:
- Cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Dice into ½" pieces.
- Dice tomato into ½" pieces. Put diced tomato into mesh strainer and shake out excess liquid.
- Whisk together parsley, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper.
- Pour dressing over cucumbers and tomatoes and stir gently until well coated. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving to let flavors marinate.
Pickled Onions:
- Combine all ingredients except onions in a small saucepan. Heat until boiling and sugar has dissolved.
- Put sliced onions in quart size glass jar. Pour vinegar mixture over onions. Let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Harissa:
- Place guajillo chiles and chiles de arbol in a glass bowl. Cover with hot water and let sit 15-20 minutes.
- Once chiles are softened, use gloved hands to remove seeds and stems. Place chiles in food processor.
- Add all ingredients except olive oil to food processor. Blend until well combined. Add in olive oil and pulse a few times until olive oil is mixed in. Refrigerate until ready to use. Harissa can be made up to a few days ahead of time.
Whipped Feta:
- Add all ingredients to food processor. Blend for 2-3 minutes until well-combined and slightly fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use. Whipped feta can be made up to 1 day in advance.
Assembly:
- To each bowl, add rice and kale. Top with pronghorn pieces. Arrange cucumber and tomato salad, olives, and pickled onions around bowl. Top with harissa and whipped feta. Sprinkle chopped mint and parsley over bowl. Enjoy!
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