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| Make tonight South African night with Bobotie |
When I was in my early twenties, I worked as an associate editor for a lifestyle magazine that featured travel and food stories. This was in the early 2000s, when press junkets were still the norm. (Maybe they still are, but I haven't been on one in a very long time!) My well-connected editor was offered so many of these freebie trips she couldn't attend them all, and I was the lucky recipient of a few of her cast offs. One of the most memorable and fantastic experiences was a 10-day trip to South Africa.
We toured Pretoria, Jo-burg and Cape Town. We visited Robben Island, Soweto and the Apartheid Museum. We safaried (I rode an elephant!), toured the wineries of the Stellenbosch region, took a cable car to the top of Table Mountain and saw penguins that sounded like donkeys at Cape Point. And we ate fabulous food!
My job on this life-changing trip was to source South African recipes and tell the story of the country through its cuisine. South Africa has a rich culinary heritage and many, many fantastic restaurants. One of the quintessential dishes was Bobotie, which is a national dish of sorts. Spice-filled, meaty and almost creamy, Bobotie is like the sexiest Shepherd's Pie you'll ever eat. I have tried several recipes, but the one I like best ironically comes from the Irish cookbook I told you about a couple of weeks ago. Their recipe is by of Silwood Kitchen School of Cookery in Cape Town, the oldest cooking school in South Africa, so it's pretty legit.
Bobotie is a true fusion dish with a storied history, much like that of South Africa itself. It is referred to as a Cape-Malay dish and stems from the Dutch colonization of both Indonesia and South Africa in the 17th century and the influence of the food cooked by the Malaysian slaves who were brought there. Like any iconic recipe, there are many, many iterations, but the basic components include ground meat, often lamb, cooked with spices, nuts, dried fruit and sometimes fruit chutney. This mixture is then topped with an egg-and-milk topping and baked. The version here doesn't include dried fruit or chutney, and I think it's one of the more authentic versions I've tasted. If you'd like to add dried fruit, sultanas or chopped dried apricots are typical; I'd say about 1/4 to 1/3 cup. Don't be put off by the amount of different spices – if you've got curry powder, ground ginger and cinnamon, you'll be in good shape. (Although turmeric is a wonderful spice and so good for you – it's worth buying!) A key step I discovered if you use lamb or regular ground beef (vs. lean or extra lean) is to brown it separately first and drain off the fat. The first time I made this dish, I followed the recipe exactly (although it wasn't very detailed; like, no cook times or anything!), and it was very greasy – the method I've added below works like a charm and is also a good tip when making Shepherd's Pie.
Although not the prettiest dish, it's a warming, comforting meal that has pizzaz. Serve with rice and salad, and you've got (a South African) dinner!
Bobotie
Prep Time: 15 min. | Total Time: 45 min. | Serves: 4-6
*Adapted from Ballymaloe Cookery Course by Darina Allen
1 lb ground lamb or beef
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp each ground coriander seed, turmeric and sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup grated carrot
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp seeded, finely chopped red finger chili (optional)
2 tbsp chopped parsley or cilantro
1 tbsp chopped slivered almonds
2 slices thick white bread soaked in milk, drained and squeezed dry
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Buttermilk Topping
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
pinch salt and pepper
2-1/2 tsp turmeric
Preheat oven to 350ºF.
In a large skillet, cook lamb on medium-high heat until beginning to brown and juices are released, approx. 3 to 5 min. Remove lamb to a sieve placed over a bowl to allow excess fat to drain; discard fat. Rinse and dry skillet. Return skillet to heat and add oil. Cook onions over medium heat until translucent, approx. 3 min. Add lamb back to skillet and continue to cook until browned, approx. 2 to 3 min. Add spices and stir to incorporate, cooking for approx. 1 min. Add garlic, zest, chili, herbs and almonds and stir, cooking for approx. 1 min. Add bread and vinegar, stirring and breaking up bread to incorporate, approx. 1 min. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium-sized bowl whisk together the ingredients for the buttermilk topping. Strain mixture through a sieve into another bowl, using a spatula to push the mixture through.
Place meat mixture into a shallow baking dish, pressing down to flatten with spatula. Pour buttermilk mixture evenly overtop. Bake until topping is set and golden, approx. 25 min.
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