South African food factsheet

 FOOD WITH MIGUEL MAESTRE
SOUTH AFRICA – LAMB POTJIE
On the losing end on a bet with Chris to see who could ‘kiss’ one of the Big Five animals on
Safari, Miguel heads to the kitchen at Shamwari’s exclusive Bayethe Lodge to cook a
traditional Lamb Potjie. A stew like dish served with ground maize porridge called Pap, it’s
incredibly tasty and sure to become a Living Room favourite.
POTJIEKOS
Potjiekos has been part of the South African culture for centuries, in fact since the days of
the first settlement at the Cape when food was cooked in a black cast-iron pot hanging from
a chain over the kitchen fire. Later the black pot accompanied intrepid pioneers who moved
into the country. As the Victorian era unfolded, so the delights of the bubbling black pot
made way for magnificent oven roasts, and later still the traditional braaivlieis in the 1950’s
and 60’s. The pot’s re-emergence in the late 1970’s coincided with the escalation of meat
prices and it was then that food magazines and books started publishing articles on the art of
Potjiekos cooking.
It is thought that the ‘Potjie’ came from the Dutch ancestors of the South Africans, who
brought with them heavy iron cooking pots which hung from hooks over the open hearth.
These cast-iron pots retained heat well and could be kept simmering over a few embers.
Rounded, potbellied pots were used for cooking tender roasts and stews as they allowed
steam to circulate instead of escape through the lid. The flat-bottomed iron pans heated
more quickly and were used to bake crusty loaves of bread in Dutch ovens.
What sets Potjiekos apart from these traditional cooking methods, is the fact that it is cooked
outside. When the pot was moved from the kitchen hearth to a fire in the open bush, it
became a ‘Potjie’ and part of the South African cooking heritage. The most common ‘Potjie’
is the rounded, potbellied, three-legged cast iron pot.
Potjiekos is uniquely South African, and is a friendly food, to be enjoyed by rich or poor,
young and old, city-dwellers and country folk, needing only one’s imagination when it comes
to selecting the ingredients. It is the ideal food to serve to a crowd of friends. Potjiekos is
traditionally made around an open fire, preferably in the company of good friends, with one
or more ‘Potjies’ simmering away.
http://www.potjiekosworld.com/about/
Available to purchase from www.africashop.com.au
RECIPE
Miguel’s Lamb Potjie
INGREDIENTS:
4 large lamb shanks
400g lamb neck
2L red wine
300g pancetta, chunky diced
2 sticks celery, coarsely chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
2 leeks, coarsely chopped
400g button mushrooms
2 long red chilies, finely chopped
1 head garlic
2 tbsp sage, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp thyme leaves
2 tbsp fresh oregano
1 knob ginger
1 tbsp spicy paprika
1L beef stock
salt & pepper
METHOD:
Combine the lamb and 1L red wine in a medium bowl. Refrigerate and cover over night.
Drain lamb and discard wine. In a large pot over the charcoal start browning the lamb and
pancetta, turning until brown all over. Add celery, onion, leeks, mushrooms, chillies, garlic,
sage, thyme, oregano, ginger, spicy paprika and cook until soft. Add remaining wine, bring to
boil, stirring to remove any crusty bits from base of dish. Simmer until reduced by half.
Add stock and cook over medium heat until lamb is soft – at least 2.5 - 3 hours. Heavily
season with pepper and salt.
Perfect to serve with roasted potatoes and/or any roasted vegetables, rice or quinoa.
SAA flies daily direct from Sydney and Perth to Johannesburg. The flight duration is
approximately 11 hours (from Perth) to 14 hours (from Sydney).
For bookings please contact South African Airways:
•
•
Phone: 1300 435 972
Website: www.flysaa.com.au
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/south-africa
SHAMWARI GAME RESERVE
•
•
•
•
•
•
Stretching across a 61,000-acre patch of bush in South Africa's Eastern Cape,
Shamwari is a rare mixture of luxury game park and sanctuary. You can spot wildlife
or do volunteer work at the Born Free Foundation, where lions and leopards that
have been mistreated or abused in captivity, are resettled.
Shamwari Game Reserve is located 75 km outside Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape,
South Africa. It has been voted the World's Leading Safari and Game Reserve and
Conservation Company for many consecutive years.
An essential focus is the management, development and rehabilitation of an
ecosystem that has been returned to a more natural condition after many years of
farming.
The Born Free Foundation jointly funds a sanctuary at Shamwari that gives lifetime
care to several lions and leopards that have been discovered in poor conditions in
circuses or zoos around the world. They have two centres on the reserve, one in the
north and one in the south.
This stunning reserve boasts six unique and luxurious lodges, offering our guests a
variety of choices. Long Lee Manor, a magnificent Edwardian Manor house, offers
refined elegance and sweeping views over the gracious plains. Take a dip in either
of the two swimming pools, indulge in the spa, relax in the comfort of the lounge or
bar, and enjoy the al la carte restaurant before retiring to an elegant en-suite room.
Bayethe Lodge is ideal for travellers seeking a true bush experience. Camouflaged
under the trees, the Standard Tents ensure total comfort, along with a private deck
and plunge pool. Alternatively, the chique Superior Tents provide the ultimate in
luxury. Once can experience pampering treatments in the bush spa, which overlooks
a wonderful water hole.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Central Reservations
Tel: +27 (0)41 509 3000
reservations@shamwari.com
www.shamwari.com/
WEBLINKS
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/south-africa
http://www.flysaa.com/au/en/home.action
www.shamwari.com/
http://www.potjiekosworld.com/about/