It is a cold and wet winter’s day in the Cape Winelands and forecasts are for the weather to continue for the best part of the weekend. One very traditional meal to warm up the whole family, is of course bobotie.

The oldest known bobotie (curried minced meal) recipe originated with Apicius, who cooked for the wealthy during the reign of the Roman Empire. This sweet-and-sour dish was baked with the characteristic egg custard on the top and meat, fish, vegetables, nuts, herbs and spices were added to the recipe.

The first bobotie made at the Cape probably followed the old Roman recipe due to a shortage of meat, fish, and vegetables. Fortunately the abundance of sea birds provided a steady supply of eggs. When meat become more readily available later on, bobotie was prepared with only meat (always cooked), nuts and, sometimes, dried fruit. A fish bobotie was also made, and the egg custard was used over vegetable dishes, as is still the custom in the Balkans today.

Chardonnay would be a great choice with this dish, but if this weekend you would prefer a glass of red to warm you up, the 2011 La Motte Millennium would be a very good partner as well.

Try this recipe from our Cape Winelands Cuisine Cookbook, page. 85.

MEAT MIXTURE

Ingredients

2 Tbsp (30 ml) sunflower oil

2 onions, chopped

1 kg cooked and minced mutton or beef *

1 thick slice bread

1 cup (250 ml) beef or mutton stock

1 egg

1 cup (250 ml) milk

2 ½ Tbsp (37.5 ml) curry mix

1 tsp (5 ml) turmeric

¼ cup (60 ml) apricot jam

2 tsp (10 ml) salt (less if meat was already salted when cooked)

¼ tsp (1 ml) cayenne pepper

3 Tbsp (45 ml) wine vinegar

½ cup (125 ml) seedless raisins

1 Tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh root ginger, or more to taste

1 pkt (100 g) blanched and ground almonds

EGG CUSTARD

Ingredients

3 fresh lemons or bay leaves

2 eggs

1½ cups (375 ml) milk

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