South African Curried Lamb Bobotie
Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net/artur84
This hearty, rich, sweet-tart lamb casserole from South Africa has Malaysian roots but has evolved and spread around the world. Serves 6.
2 slices good commercial white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Original White
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, plus a little extra to butter the baking dish
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tart apple such as Granny Smith, cored and diced
2 lbs. ground lamb
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tablespoons chutney
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 eggs
6 bay leaves (fresh lemon leaves if available)
Lemon slices to garnish
Preheat oven to 325 ° F.
Tear bread into large pieces and soak in milk in a small bowl. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, then add the apple and cook for 1 minute more. Add ground lamb and cook until it loses most of its pink color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Squeeze out the excess milk from the bread slices, reserving the milk, then tear up bread and add to lamb. Add raisins, almonds, lemon juice, chutney, curry powder, sugar, salt, pepper and 1 of the eggs, and mix well.
Place mixture in a buttered deep baking dish or casserole. Stick bay leaves vertically into the casserole. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from oven. Whisk together the reserved milk with the remaining 2 eggs, then pour it over the Bobotie. Bake for 15 more minutes or until egg is set. Remove bay leaves before serving.
2 slices good commercial white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Original White
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, plus a little extra to butter the baking dish
2 cups finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tart apple such as Granny Smith, cored and diced
2 lbs. ground lamb
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tablespoons chutney
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 eggs
6 bay leaves (fresh lemon leaves if available)
Lemon slices to garnish
Preheat oven to 325 ° F.
Tear bread into large pieces and soak in milk in a small bowl. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, then add the apple and cook for 1 minute more. Add ground lamb and cook until it loses most of its pink color, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Squeeze out the excess milk from the bread slices, reserving the milk, then tear up bread and add to lamb. Add raisins, almonds, lemon juice, chutney, curry powder, sugar, salt, pepper and 1 of the eggs, and mix well.
Place mixture in a buttered deep baking dish or casserole. Stick bay leaves vertically into the casserole. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove from oven. Whisk together the reserved milk with the remaining 2 eggs, then pour it over the Bobotie. Bake for 15 more minutes or until egg is set. Remove bay leaves before serving.
