Winning Potjie

Hi CWZ fans,

Here it is, the recipe that got us to win the potjiekos competition.

Firstly let’s go a bit into the history of potjiekos; it came into South Africa when the first settlers came here to the Cape. It later went with the Voortrekkers who pioneered thru our country.

The potjies was made with whatever the Voortrekkers could source whilst travelling, with the main ingredient large bones of the animals that were killed. The bones give the potjie a leka thick and rich texture. There were no fancy spices that time beside 

the road, and they had to work with what they had. 

Later on in the 19^th century the potjie became more 

of a sought after dish, with rules coming into place l

ike not stirring etc.

Well enough said, here is the winning recipe.

What you will need:

Number 3 Potjie

Wood/Charcoal/Briquette (Your Choice)

Ingredients:

2 kg Lamb Shanks

2 medium sized onions

750 ml of cheap white wine (or less your choice)

1 packet of rind less bacon

300 – 500 ml of boiling hot water

3 medium sized tomatoes

4 medium sized potatoes (or about 10 baby potatoes)

2 garlic gloves (crushed garlic about a table spoon)

6 baby marrows

Some cooking oil to start off with about 100 ml (can use olive oil)

1 – 2 red chillies (optional) (remember to remove the pips)

1 packet of white mushrooms

6 carrots

2 cubes of chilli beef stock

1 yellow pepper (deseeded)

6 patty pans

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Get your fire started and heat up your pot, whilst the pot is heating up, you can start preparing the vegetables for the pot, so when everything is going you can just sit back and relax, and add when needed.

Peel your carrots and cut into small circles, if you are taking big potatoes no need to peel just wash thoroughly and cut into small little cubes, cut your onions into a fine form, cut your baby morrows into little circles (no need to peel), cut your patty pans into half’s, dice your tomatoes into small little cubes, deseed the chillies and cut into small little rings, deseed the yellow pepper and cut into smaller pieces, cut the garlic into smallish rings, or you can also crush it if you like, cut the bacon into small little dices and slice the mushrooms into smaller half’s. What I also did was to slice the lamb shank some deep cuts into it criss-cross so that it cooked quicker.

Ok now that you have everything ready prepared and sealed it in a plastic container, we shall begin.

The potjie should be nice and hot by now, basically pan fry the meat until there is a nice brownish colour, it is said the browner it gets the better the sauce would be at the end of the day. When that is nice and brown, you can add the bacon and garlic, pan fry them with the lamb until the bacon is well cooked. Add the wine and put the lid on and cook for about an hour or so, just make sure your fire is not to hot and the wine does not cook away so that your meat burns. You can add the potatoes, beef extract, onion, chilli, tomatoes and water now; you can cook it with the lid on again for about an hour. Half an hour before you want to serve you can add the patty pans, baby marrows and carrots, and 10 minutes before you want to serve you can add the mushrooms. And you may enjoy, remember not to stir, and remember not to put in too much water, we are not cooking a stew or a soup. You may present this potjie with rice, pap or samp.

Happy cooking,

Serves 4 - 6