Our first guest peep is Nici from Whitewood, Saskatchewan. Nici is the daughter of one of my dearest friends, Tamara, and she is a fantastic baker. Nici has a home bakery business called Your Table Home Bakery (check her out on Facebook, the link is on our home page) and I can tell you that she makes THE most delicious gingerbread … here’s hoping she’ll share her recipe with us! Nici has prepared a few delicious dishes — savoury and sweet — for The Kitchen Chickens 🙂

Thanks, Nici!

South African Bobotie

from Nicole Hoffmann – Your Table Home Bakery

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While the pronunciation of this traditional South African dish may be intriguing (ba-boor-tea), I’m speaking from experience when I promise you there is no Afrikaans prerequisite required to get this yummy meal on your table. My husband lovingly laughs at me every time I say the word “bobotie” with a Canadian accent, so consider this a judgement free zone if you are feeling brave and wanting to expand your vocabulary. A simple ground beef dish sweetened with curry spices and topped with a savory, custard-like crust; you can use any name you’d like for this dish, but promise me you won’t keep it hidden in the back of your recipe box, okay?

Marrying into a South African family has been nothing short of delicious for this Canadian foodie. My mother-in-law is fantastic in the kitchen, creating meals and treats that tickle the fancy of many different palettes.

She welcomed me in to her recipe collection with open arms, which is where I found this gem of a recipe! It has been important to me to incorporate South African dishes into our life, which began out of consideration for my husband and has ended up becoming a win-win for both of us as the food is downright delicious. Bobotie is a very common dish in South Africa, and is one of those recipes that I love to pass along to my Canadian family and friends!

South African Bobotie

1 finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 kg hamburger
½ cup beef broth
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon turmeric
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup raisins
½ cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 slices of bread (soaked in water – see step 1)

For the Crust

¾ cup milk
2 beaten eggs
½ teaspoon turmeric
4 bay leaves

1.Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. In a small bowl, soak the two slices of bread in cold water.

2. Drizzle a little olive oil in a large skillet, and fry the onions over medium heat until they soften up and start to turn translucent. Add the ground beef and mash into small pieces as it continues to cook. Fry the meat until no longer pink.

3. Add the broth, spices, raisins, apricot jam and vinegar. Allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes, allowing the jam to melt for easier combining.

4. Squeeze the water out of the soaked bread, and add to the meat mixture. Stir well to ensure the bread is well incorporated.

5. Pour mixture into an oven-proof baking dish. I usually use a large, deep pie plate or casserole dish.

6. Combine the crust ingredients in a small bowl, and pour on top of the meat mixture. Top with 4 bay leaves.

7. Bake for around 50 minutes until crust turns a nice golden brown.

Notes:
OPTION: Prepare the meat to step 5, and refrigerate in the baking dish and then complete step 6 the following day.

Delicious served with rice and a salad or warm, cooked vegetables.