| Author: Christa Kirstein
Struik Publishers
Cape Town, 1998
ISBN: 1868254038
Soft cover, 22x28 cm, 96 pages, throughout colour photos
The fact that more than 100000 copies of this book have been sold is maybe ample proof that it offers sound, practical advice on all aspects of a braai - from building the fire to judging when the food is cooked. The recipes with plenty hints and tips not only suggest delicious new ways to braai chicken, fish and various cuts of meat, but also all the extras that complement the main course and add sparkle to the occasion. Christa Kirstein gained a BSc degree in domestic science from the University of Pretoria and taught for two years before joining the Meat Board in 1983 as a home economist. During her six years with the Meat Board, she gave cookery demonstrations and lectures, developed and tested recipes, and prepared newspaper and magazine articles. She currently lives in Pretoria with her family.
Smoke wisping from an open fire, the aroma of food cooking in fresh air, a convivial atmosphere - it is hardly surprising that braaiing, one of the oldest activities known to man, has survived for thousands of years. Since cave-dwelling times the practice has been experimented with and refined by cultures throughout the world and today South Africans are as familiar with the Japanese hibachi, the American Weber, the Argentinian asado and the Middle Eastern kebab as they are with their own potjiekos. One reason that open-fire cooking still flourishes is that it is so flexible - the development of new techniques is going on all the time. Indeed, braai competitions, where innovative ideas are demonstrated in practice, have shown that in braaiing few 'rules', as such, apply. Guidelines can be given to beginners but essentially braaiing is a personal skill, one acquired by experience and developed to suit the individual's taste and lifestyle. Much of the appeal of the braai lies in its blend of earthy simplicity and more sophisticated culinary art. This book is a guide to achieving such a blend and contains an exciting variety of recipes, tips and ideas for both the novice and the expert. TIME FOR RELAXING: More than anything else a braai is an easy and informal way of entertaining, whether your guests are 'just a few friends' or a crowd of 20 or more. In the open air the smoky aroma of outdoor cooking and the anticipation of a veritable feast encourage relaxation in hosts as well as guests. In order to achieve this happy state the hosts have to plan carefully and do much of the preparation in advance. When planning a braai remember three golden rules of a successful occasion: the meal should be easy to do, easy to eat and easy to clear away. Easy to do - the secret is thorough preparation. The braai chef should have all the necessary ingredients and utensils at his fingertips: the meat ready to go over the fire, basting mixture and condiments within reach, and tongs ready for action. Easy to eat - have enough table space on which to put salads, breads, snacks and drinks, as well as the cooked food, and set them all out attractively. Serve foods that can be eaten with fingers or at most a fork, and in easily manageable portions. Although guests often like to wander around and socialise as they eat, provide comfortable seating and trays or small tables for those who like to stay in one place. Easy to clear away - keep cutlery and plates to a minimum and use the disposable kind wherever possible. Wooden platters or paper plates with a separate basket base are ideal. Plastic-ware is also useful, being both durable and easily cleaned. Plastic cutlery can either be thrown away or wiped with a damp cloth. Paper cups are also a boon, but keep them filled on a windy day! Part of the success of the occasion will rest in the atmosphere created. In the evening lamps or candles produce a friendly glow or, for smaller groups, the fire itself provides a focus of cosiness. If you are entertaining a crowd of people who don't know each other very well, try organising a fondue or stir-fry braai. As they cook their own selection of food and experiment with sauces, the ice will soon be broken. The beauty of a braai is that the host, or hostess, at the fire is the centre of attention and if he is so inclined, he can do some 'real' entertaining by, for instance, flaming a whole fillet in front of the guests, carving it deftly and setting the slices out neatly on a wooden platter. Practice may be required but once perfected, the display is bound to impress.
Introduction
Beef
Lamb
Pork
Sausages
Hamburgers
Chicken
Fish
Spit-roasting
Potjiekos
Stir-fry on the skottel
Fondue over the coals
Paella
Venison
Snacks
Salads
Vegetables
Breads
Pap
Sauces and butters
Drinks and desserts
Index
Stuffed saddle of lamb on a spit 1 boned saddle of lamb, about 1,5 kg
15 ml (1 tablespoon) gelatine
MUSHROOM STUFFING
15 ml (1 tablespoon) cooking oil
15 ml (1 tablespoon) butter
150 g mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
15 ml (1 tablespoon) freshly choppedherbs (rosemary, oregano, marjoram) or 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dried mixed herbs
250 ml (1 cup) fresh breadcrumbs
30 ml (2 tablespoons) sherry
7 ml ('/2 tablespoon) salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
HERB BASTE
125 ml (1/2 cup) Basic baste (page 12), using white wine
10 ml (2 teaspoons) freshly chopped herbs (rosemary, oregano) or 5 ml
(1 teaspoon) dried mixed herbs To make the stuffing, heat the cooking oil and butter together in a heavy-based pan or potjie or on a skottel braai and fry the mushrooms, onion and garlic until the onion is translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle the gelatine inside the saddle and spread the stuffing on top, leaving 25 mm clear around the edges. Fold the two flank sides of the meat to come together at the centre and secure with string at 25 mm intervals. Thread the saddle lengthwise onto the spit and place a drip pan underneath it. Roast the saddle for 1 hour about 150 mm above moderate coals. Mix together the ingredients for the herb baste and brush it over the meat frequently during the last 30 minutes. Let the saddle stand in a warm place for 10 minutes before carving it into thin slices across the grain. Heat the remaining baste and pour it over the slices.
Serves 8-10.
Boerewors 2 kg boneless chuck of beef
750 g boneless thick rib of pork
200 g speck
15 ml (1 tablespoon) ground coriander
30 ml (2 tablespoons) fine salt
5 ml (1 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper
2 ml (a pinch) freshly grated nutmeg
100 ml (6 tablespoons) vinegar
90 g pork casings Cut the meat and speck into 50 mm cubes. Combine the coriander, seasoning and nutmeg, sprinkle over the cubes and mix well. Mince the meat and speck, then add the vinegar and mix lightly but thoroughly. Stuff into the casing and refrigerate. Braai over low coals for about 15 minutes.
Makes 3 kg VARIATION To make sausage with a coarser texture, dice the speck and add it to the meat after it has been minced. To scorch coriander, place the seeds in a dry frying pan and heat, stirring constantly, until they become light brown. Grind them
in a blender or with a pestle and mortar, or with a rolling pin crush them between two pieces of cloth. Pass them through a sieve to remove the husks. Crush 15 ml (1 tablespoon) whole coriander to obtain 5 ml (1 teaspoon) ground coriander. Trout with mushroom stuffing 6 whole trout, cleaned and gutted
MUSHROOM STUFFING
30 ml (2 tablespoons) butter
200 g mushrooms, coarsely chopped
250 g hake, finely chopped
5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
15 ml (1 tablespoon) chopped parsley
50 ml (3 tablespoons) cream
15 ml (1 tablespoon) lemon juice
5 ml (1 teaspoon) grated lemon rind To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a pan or potjie, fry the mushrooms and add the hake, salt and pepper. Lift away from the heat, sprinkle the parsley over and mix in the cream, lemon juice and lemon rind. Spoon the stuffing into the belly cavity of the trout and secure with toothpicks or string. Braai over moderate coals for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Serves 6.
Basic braai sauce 100 ml (6 tablespoons) olive oil or cooking oil
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
250 ml (1 cup) tomato puree
125 ml (1/2 cup) lemon juice or vinegar Heat the oil in a small potjie and fry the onion and garlic gently until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato puree and lemon juice and simmer for 15 minutes. Complements beef, lamb and pork.
Makes 500 ml. VARIATIONS To give extra flavour add: a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Tabasco or chilli sauce; a pinch of cayenne pepper, 10 ml (2 teaspoons) French mustard or 10 ml (2 teaspoons) soy sauce; 30 ml (2 tablespoons) brown sugar. Monkeygland sauce: Add 60 ml (1/4 cup)Worcestershire sauce, 15 ml (1 tablespoon)
chutney and 5 ml (1 teaspoon) dry mustard to the Basic braai sauce and mix well.
Alikreukels 12
All-in-one pot 59
Allegaartjie potjie 60
Angelfish with bacon 52
Apple, drink 90
packets 93
Askoek (var.) 80
Bacon, bread (var.) 81
rolls 71
Bananas, in foil (var.) 93
with cream cheese 93
Basic ready-mix 80
Baste, apricot 47
basic 12
fig 31
garlic and wine 48
herb 26, 28
herb and oil 13
lemon 40, 47, 51
peri-peri 43
porterhouse 18
rosemary 18
spicy tomato 49
wine 22
Bean and pumpkin pot 63
Beans, curried 73
Beer bread 83
Boerewors 37
Braai punch 91
Butter, garlic 89
garlic and herb 83
ginger 89
herb 43
lemon 89
mint 89
mixed herb 89
mustard 89
onion 89
Parmesan 22
parsley 89
tabasco 89
thyme 30
Butterfly chops with Parmesan
butter 22
Cape fish braai 48
Cape salmon and cucumber
kebabs 49
Carrots, sweet and sour 74
Chapatis 67
Cheese, and pineapple salad,
crunchy 76
bread (var.) 83
burgers (var.) 38
Chicken, and vegetable packets 42
fruity 40
halves, lemon 40
kebabs 44
Kiev over the coals 43
liver kebabs, savoury 44
liver snack 71
mandarin 43
on the spit 45
peri-peri 43
potjie 63
Tandoori 41
thighs, honey-glazed 42
wings, spicy 41
Chocolate fondue 92
Chops in a packet 24
Chump chops, stuffed 23
Coleslaw 75
Corned beef short rib with wine
sauce 20
Crayfish 12
Crumpets 94
Curry, banana pot 63
fricadels 39
Cutlets, cheese-layered 24
Dip, apple 71
apricot 67
creamy chutney 67
pineapple (var.) 67
Dressing, basic French 74
condensed milk 75
mayonnaise 74
Dried fruit salad, spiked 76
Eastern fondue 66
Fillet with bacon 16
Fish, braaiing different kinds 52
Flat rib, glazed 20
Frankfurters 37
French loaf, garlic and herb 83
Fruit, bread 81
refresher 90
salad 95
Galjoen braai 46
Glaze, honey 27, 42
plum 33
tomato 20
Grapefruit drink 91
Green salad with bean sprouts 73
Grunter with creamy cheese
stuffing 50
Haarders in lemon marinade 48
Hamburgers, basic 38
Herb, bread (var.) 83
burgers (var.) 38
mix 53
Herby cottage cheese rolls 82
Irish coffee 95
Kabeljou with vegetable stuffing 50
Kahlua pedro 95
Kasseler rib in foil 32
Kebabs, banana (var.) 70
Cape salmon and cucumber 49
chicken 44
concertina 34
fish (var.) 70
fruit (var.) 70
kidney (var.) 70
lamb 29
mini 70
pork 35
pork, in pawpaw marinade 34
rump steak 19
savoury chicken liver 44
tasty tomato mince 39
vegetables on a skewer 79
Kids' punch 90
Kingklip with yoghurt sauce 49
Krummelpap 84
Kudu fillet in sour cream
marinade 69
Lamb, breast on a skewer 28
breast with braai sauce 25
chops, garlic 22
chops in yoghurt marinade 23
fondue 66
glazed leg on a spit 27
noisettes with brinjals 23
orange-flavoured shoulder 27
patties 38
stuffed saddle on a spit 26
Lamb's liver, in bacon (var.) 28
in caul fat 28
'sausage' (var.) 28
Langoustines 12
Liver, and bacon 21
sausage 37
Loin chops, stuffed 31
Marinade, basic 12
beer 15, 34
brandy-lemon 40
curry (var.) 23; 29, 69
ginger 33
kebab 29
lemon 48
mandarin 43
orange 27
pawpaw 34
pineapple 32
rosemary 70
savoury 32
sosatie 69
sour cream 69
spicy 35, 41
sweet-sour 44
wine 49
yoghurt 23, 41
Mealie bread, cheesy 81
Melkpap 84
Mieliepaptert 85
Mini kebabs 70
Mixed bean salad 73
Mixed grill on a skewer 35
Mussels 12
Mutton sausage 37
curried (var.) 37
Onion bread (var.) 83
Onions in herb mustard sauce 76
Paella 68
Pancakes 92
Peach salad, spicy 76
Pearl wheat salad 72
Perlemoen 12
Pineapple, baked 93
Pork, and apple bake 31
and figs 31
breast in pineapple marinade 32
butterfly saddle 33
chops with cucumber sauce 30
chops with thyme butter 30
sausage 37
Potato, and mushroom bake,
creamy 78
salad with apple and bacon 75
Potbrood (var.) 80; 82
Potjie dumplings 94
Prawns 12
peri-peri 53
Pumpkin, bread 83
pot 77
Rabbit potjie 63
Ratatouille 78
Red roman with caper sauce 51
Rib of mutton pot 59
Rice salad with peaches 72
Roosterkoek in a jiffy 80
Samp, savoury 77
Sangria 91
Saratoga chops with plum glaze 33
Sardine parcels (var.) 52
Sardines, tasty 52
Sauce, bacon 23
banana and onion 85
barbecue 65
basic braai 86
braai15, 25
caper 51
caramel (var.) 92
chilli 65
chocolate 92
cucumber 30
curry 67
fruit 88
fruity mustard 88
garlic 65
hanepoot 94
herb 65
herb mustard 76
jiffy mustard 86
monkeygland (var.) 86
mushroom 15, 87
mustard 67, 87
pawpaw puree 88
pepper 87
piquant wine 88
prune 88
salmuera 57
sweet and sour 65, 87
tartare 87
tomato 51, 59, 67, 85, 86
Van der Hum 92
wine 20, 85
yoghurt 49
Sausage dish, savoury 37
Sausages, smoked 37
Scotch fillet, on a spit 18
with braai sauce 15
Seafood packet, mixed 71
Seafood potjie 60
Snoek, braai 47
braaied, with apricot baste 47
Sosaties 29
springbok 69
springbok and apricot (var.) 69
Soutribbetjie 25
pot 59
Spanspek and cheese salad 74
Spareribs, savoury 32
Spinach and avocado salad 75
Springbok sosaties 69
Steak, pepper 14
porterhouse 18
T-bone, with mushroom sauce 15
wheels 19
Steaks, carpetbag 17
cheesy mustard 14
club, in beer marinade 15
entrecote, with nut stuffing 17
Stir-fry braai 65
Stokbrood (var.) 80
Stuffing, apple and herb 56
apricot 45
bacon 23
bread and wine 56
cheese 79
creamy cheese 50
dried fruit 56
ham and mushroom 31
ham and veal 45
mushroom 26, 50
nut 17
oyster 17
pineapple (var.) 45
pork and rice 56
prune 45
rice (var.) 17
vegetable 50
Stumpnose with spicy tomato
baste 49
Stywepap 84
snacks (var.) 84
Sweet potato, fruity 78
Sweetcorn, cheesy 77
Toasted sandwiches 83
Tripe potjie with dumplings 60
Trout with mushroom stuffing 50
Tuna spread 71
Tunny with tomato sauce 51
Veal, cushions 21
kidneys on a skottel 21
Vegetables, dipped 71
in foil 79
on a skewer 79
stuffed 79
Venison potjie 63
Vetkoek, pearl wheat 82
Warthog rib, braaied 69
Waterblommetjie potjie 59
Welbeloontjies 94
Wholewheat bread, easy 81 |
