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Dedicated to South Africans living abroad...and all lovers of Traditional South African food

I am once again featuring recipes from Annie Eksteen's recipe eBook containing the best 5 South African recipes in different categories. This time I am featuring bredie or stew recipes. Click here for more info on the recipe book which makes the ideal gift for someone far away.

Right click here and download a file in Acrobat on how to handle a Hijack situation.

Have you run out of ideas on what to put on the kids and hubby's daily sarmies? From all over the world I have been receiving ideas for the ultimate Wacky Sarmy, so click here and pack a surprise in the lunchbox! If you have your own special Wacky Sarmy, please email me and I will add it to this page.

If you are living outside South Africa and know of a shop that sells South African food or goods, please let me have their contact details so I can add them to my SA Food page! And if you are longing for good old SA food, just click on the link, there might just be a store close to you!

I have never been a great garlic fan, a little in some dishes is enough for me. However, some people seem to enjoy smothering their food with the herb!. Here is an article on garlic that was sent to me, if I get positive feedback I will feature some more herbs in future newsletters

HERBS - GARLIC
Garlic is a very popular member of the onion family. It has been used medicinally for hundreds of years. The slaves who constructed the pyramids of Cheops were fed garlic daily to sustain their strength.
Garlic is an easy plant to grow, liking full sun and well-drained soil. A leaf mulch will keep the soil moist and cool. Harvest your garlic before the frost arrives.
Garlic grown near roses, deters greenfly. Garlic will inhibit the growth of peas and beans.

DOMESTIC USES
A little chopped garlic added to your dog food helps to keep him free of ticks and fleas.
Cloves of garlic, slightly crushed, can be placed in food containers, to keep them free of weevils.
Two crushed cloves of garlic, mixed into 500ml of water and sprayed on plants, controls aphids.
4 Litres of boiling water, 4 crushed garlic cloves, 4 handfuls of khakibos leaves and 250ml washing powder, mixed together and poured down antholes, gets rid of the ants.

MEDICINAL USES
Fresh garlic included in the daily diet is beneficial for so many different disorders, I cannot mention them all.
It is used as an antiseptic, general tonic, worm deterrent and is considered to have antibiotic properties.
An old folk remedy for rheumatism is made by mashing garlic with honey, and rubbing it onto the affected areas.
In India garlic is rubbed over window sills and around doorways to repel snakes, and the warmed juice is used in drop form for earache.
Pour boiling water over crushed garlic and inhale the steam to treat all lung ailments, including tuberculosis, bronchitis and pneumonia.
Colds and fevers may be treated by eating raw garlic, or by drinking the juice.
Peel and chop 3 garlic cloves, simmer in 625ml of water until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain, and add 185ml apple cider vinegar and 100g of sugar or honey. Place the garlic in a bottle and cover with the syrup. Keep in the refrigerator. One dessertspoon should be taken at night for chest colds and asthma.

CULINARY USES
Garlic is a very strong flavouring, and can be added to most savoury dishes.
Garlic is delicious in salad dressings and marinades.
Chopped garlic can be added to butter to make garlic butter.
The garlic bulb can be baked whole and eaten as a vegetable.
Garlic leaves have a more subtle flavour, and can be used chopped finely in dishes that require a more delicate taste.

My website is interactive, there are a few pages you can contribute to:

Elephant Stew - add your suggestion
Wacky Sarmies - add your fav sarmie (some great sarmie ideas here!)
Animal Facts - Some interesting stuff here
Discussion Forum - Add to a current discussion or start a new thread.

Looking for a specific South African recipe? Email me and I will do my best to find it for you!

When you have had a look at the recipes below, click here to visit the main recipe page on my site. 

Any comments, positive or otherwise on this Newsletter will be appreciated!

That's it for now,
Take care,
Peter

The Recipes
See Links for Metric Converter

SAFARI GAME STEW

2kg game meat, chopped into small pieces                30ml oil
5 rashers rindless bacon, chopped in pieces             1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed                                             500ml red wine, warmed
30ml vinegar, warmed                                              5 whole cloves
5ml ground coriander                                               5 peppercorns
2 bay leaves                                                            1 stalk parsley
15ml smooth apricot jam                                           125g dried apricots
125g prunes

In a large saucepan or cast iron cooking pot, heat the oil. Fry the bacon until crispy. Set aside. Brown the meat on all sides, a few pieces at a time. Remove the meat and set aside. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté until tender. Return the meat to the pot and add the wine and vinegar. Add the cloves, coriander, bay leaves and parsley. Allow to simmer until the meat falls away from the bones. Discard the bones, bay leaves and whole spices. Arrange the fruits on top and allow to simmer for a further 30 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.

FISHERMAN’S BREDIE

50ml olive oil                                          2 leeks or onions, thickly sliced
10ml minced garlic                                  2 sticks celery, chopped
2x410g cans tomatoes chopped               2 bay leaves
500g kingklip fillets, skinned, cubed      62ml dry white wine
25ml tomato paste                                  1 ml turmeric
500g other fish of your choice              500g king prawns, uncooked
2 lobster tails, uncooked, cut into rounds with shell intact

Heat the oil and sauté the leeks, garlic, and celery, cook until leeks are soft. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, turmeric, wine and tomato paste. Bring to the boil, simmer, uncovered for about 15 minutes or until thickened slightly. Place the fish, lobster and unshelled prawns on tomato mixture, simmer, covered for 5 minutes or until the prawn are cooked. Serve on pasta or with garlic toast.

WATERBLOMMETJIE BREDIE

25ml oil                                                10ml butter
1 large onion, chopped                          5ml minced garlic
1kg mutton (neck or shin)                      salt and pepper to taste
1ml sugar                                              150ml chicken stock
125ml dry white wine                            25ml vinegar
½ ml cayenne pepper                             500g waterblommetjies, cleaned
2-3 potatoes, peeled and diced

Sauté the onions and garlic in heated butter and oil mixture in a heavy saucepan until soft. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add meat to saucepan and brown. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Return onions and garlic to saucepan and add stock, wine, vinegar and cayenne pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered for 1-1½ hours or until meat is just tender. Add waterblommetjies, and potatoes and simmer until vegetables are tender but not mushy. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with rice and baked sweet potatoes. This bredie can be placed in a casserole dish and cooked at 180C for 1½ hours.

TOMATO BREDIE

1kg beef or mutton shoulder                      2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon butter                                   2 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper    2 onions -- chopped
6 ripe red tomatoes                                   170g can tomato paste
1 teaspoon sugar                                       ¼ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon paprika                                    3 cloves crushed garlic
1 teaspoon mixed herbs                              1½ cups water
1 chicken stock cube                                 3 potatoes -- diced
1 tablespoon potato flour

Cube the meat. Heat the oil / butter mixture in a big, heavy-bottomed saucepan until the butter discolors. Add the meat in batches and stir-fry until brown. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and keep aside. Season the browned meat with salt and pepper. Brown the onions in the remaining oil. When golden, soft and glazed, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, chili, paprika, garlic, herbs, water and stock cube. Bring to a slow simmering boil. Add the prepared meat. Simmer the bredie very slowly for 2 hours. Add the cubed potatoes and continue simmering for another ½ hour. Thicken the gravy with a little potato flour mixed with water. The bredie improves with keeping. Prepare a day in advance and leave to mature in the refrigerator. Reheat and serve with fluffy steamed rice to which a handful of chopped parsley has been added.

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