Our hosts this week need little introduction – Dave and Chantelle share the recipe of a wonderfully flavoured potjie that can be prepared with any cut of beef and fresh or preserved figs.
The pot has a sweet and sour taste with a hint of chilli and is low maintenance during the cooking period. The pot must be made on a slow fire as to avoid the sweet ingredients from sticking to the pot and burning. This recipe combines an interesting set of ingredients with the traditional cooking method for “potjiekos”.Ingredients:
The juice of 8 squeezed lemons
Finely chopped fresh garlic
4 medium sized green chillies
Fresh or dried herbs (Oregano, Rosemary, parsley and thyme);
BBQ spice of your choice
Salt
3 chopped onions
3 Kg beef
2 Containers of preserved figs
Half a tin of fig jam/honey
Add to taste the following:
Potatoes
Carrots
Green beans
Mushrooms
Patty pans
Baby marrows
Sweet corn (optional)
Allow 4 hours cooking time
Method:
Mix the fresh herbs and garlic with the juice from the lemons in a container large enough to contain all the meat. Add the meat to the lemon juice mix and marinade for 4 hours. Cook the onions in the potjie until slightly browned or until they lose colour and remove them from the pot. Insert the meat and the lemon juice mix in the potjie. Add the BBQ spice to the mix and stir well. Cook on a low heat for 30 min.
Chop the figs and add them to the potjie at the 30 min mark. Cook the meat for another hour. Add the green beans, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, onions and a pinch of salt to the potjie and stir slightly. Cook the meat for another hour on low heat.
Add the fig jam or honey to the potjie and stir slightly. Add the rest of the veggies to the top section of the potjie. These veggies lay on top of the potjie and will be steamed until soft and will provide another element to the taste of the potjie. Cook the potjie for approximately another hour to ensure the veggies are soft and tender. Do not overcook the vegetables added last, it is important that they retain their own flavour. When the veggies are soft the potjie is done. The potjie can be enjoyed with any side dish or on its own.
