Bobotie

The South African national dish, bobotie, is a meat pie of coarsely ground lamb with plenty of curry, bay or lemon leaves and fruits, covered with a custard of milk and eggs, as homey and much loved as meatloaf is in the United States.

Ingredients

• 1 slice white bread
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 ½ cups finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 pounds coarsely ground lean lamb
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 3 eggs
• 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely grated
• ½ cup seedless raisins
• ¼ cup slivered blanched almonds
• 4 small bay leaves

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    1216 calories; 116 grams fat; 56 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 48 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 16 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 218 milligrams cholesterol; 226 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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6 to 8 servings

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the bread and milk in a small bowl, and let the bread soak for 10 minutes.
3. In a heavy saucepan melt the butter and the oil; then, stir in the onions and cook slowly until they are soft and translucent.
4. Add the curry, sugar, salt and pepper, and stir for about 30 seconds.
5. Stir in the lamb, and saute until well browned. Add the lemon juice, bring the mixture to a boil and remove from heat.
6. Drain the bread, and squeeze to dry it completely, reserving the drained milk.
7. Add the bread, one of the eggs, the apple, raisins and almonds to the lamb. Beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are well blended. Taste for seasoning.
8. Pack the mixture loosely into an ovenproof baking dish, and tuck the bay leaves underneath.
9. Whisk the remaining eggs with the reserved milk until it becomes frothy. Pour this mixture evenly over the meat, and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes, until the surface has browned and is firm.
10. Serve directly from the pan.

• Traditionally, bobotie is served with yellow rice, a delicious side dish that is made with white rice, raisins, cinnamon and sugar. Turmeric or saffron is added to make it yellow.

1 hour