10 - TCnbc Magazine
Cooks Corner - Typically South African
Beef Brisket and Braai Sauce Potjiekos
Serves 6
Ingredients
1.5 kg beef brisket or stewing steak, in large cubes
3-4 courgettes, thickly sliced
200g button mushrooms, thickly sliced
15 ml cooking oil
FOR THE SAUCE:
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 x 410g can of tinned tomatoes, coarsely chopped
15 ml cooking oil
125ml beef stock
125ml malt vinegar
2 ml grated nutmeg
1ml ground ginger
5 ml smoked paprika
2 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
15ml Worcestershire sauce
15ml brown sugar
5 ml salt
30ml Mrs Balls chutney (optional)
2 celery stalks, sliced
Method:
Prepare the braai sauce first. Over medium heat, heat the oil and then sauté the onion and garlic in it until onion is light brown and translucent. Add the remainign sauce ingredients, cover with lid and allow to simemr for 30-45 minutes so thatthe flavours combine and the sauce thickens.
Heat 15ml cooking oil in a no. 3 size potjie (or a large Dutch oven) until very hot. Add the meat in batches, stirring so that the meat browns on all sides. Add the courgette slices in a layer on top of the meat, then add the mushroom slices in a laayer on top of the courgettes. Carefully pour the sauce over everything, trying not to disturb the layers.
Cover tightly with a lid and simmer slowly for 2-2.5 hours, or until meat is tender. Serve on creamy mashed potatoes or Stywerpap.
South Africa is a land of immense beauty, it's climate providing a perfect place for farming. Some of the tenderest beef and lamb can be found here as well as healthy crops of naturally grown, unaltered fruits and vegetables. To accompany these tasty dishes, South Africa is also amongst the top rated wine growers, along with Germany and France.
The bar-b-q, or 'braai' is a firm favorite with South Africans, as is 'potjie' (literal translation: small pot) where food is layered and cooked over a flame (bar-b-q) according to length of time it takes to be done. Anything that can be done in a 'potjie' can be achieved with a slow cooker, however, be warned, it really doesn't taste quite as good!
Sauces are popular with South African cuisine and it is not unusual to accompany meat dishes with sweet preserves, such as fig jam which is perfect to enhance the flavor of a good steak!
Rice is common on the 'Boere' (farmer) plate or perhaps 'pap' which is similar to grits.
With vast stretches of pristine beaches, fish is also favored by those enjoying fine cuisine. From prawns and langoustine (that resemble small lobsters), to Kingklip (like Seabass) or Perlemoen (huge oyster-like crustaceans), the ocean offers a spread, fit for kings!