A Casserole from Africa

   

To be specific, it's South African in origin.  We're talking about that country's national dish, Bobo-Tie. Judith Finlayson, who wrote The Chile Pepper Bible, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for Bobo-Tie.  It's a South African ground beef casserole that combines flavors of both the sweet and spicy origin.  Judith told Tonia she takes the spice of curry powder and the sweetness of apricots, raisins and apples to create a wonderfully unique casserole that we think will be at home on many a dinner table.

2 TBS vegetable oil, divided

2 lbs lean ground beef

2 medium onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBS curry powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ cup dried apricots

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup whipping cream

In a skillet, heat 1 TBS oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring often, until meat is no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Drain off liquid in pan.

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil to pan. Add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Add apricots and bread crumbs, combine well and transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Mix to integrate the meat mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until mixture is hot and bubbling.

In a small bowl, combine eggs and cream. Mix well. Pour over meat mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes until top is set.

Unique Name For a Very Tasty Dish

  

To be specific, it's South African in origin.  We're talking about that country's national dish, Bobo-Tie. Judith Finlayson, who wrote The Chile Pepper Bible, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for Bobo-Tie.  It's a South African ground beef casserole that combines flavors of both the sweet and spicy origin.  Judith told Tonia she takes the spice of curry powder and the sweetness of apricots, raisins and apples to create a wonderfully unique casserole that we think will be at home on many a dinner table.

2 TBS vegetable oil, divided

2 lbs lean ground beef

2 medium onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBS curry powder

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ cup dried apricots

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup whipping cream

In a skillet, heat 1 TBS oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, stirring often, until meat is no longer pink. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Drain off liquid in pan.

Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining oil to pan. Add onions and cook until soft. Add garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Add apricots and bread crumbs, combine well and transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Mix to integrate the meat mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until mixture is hot and bubbling.

In a small bowl, combine eggs and cream. Mix well. Pour over meat mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes until top is set.

The Best Way to Make Ground Beef

 

And when you make it...aim high! As in a high temperature. Jessica Formicola, who wrote the new cookbook Beef It Up, came by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about the best hamburger you've ever had...the one you make. Jessica told Tonia it starts with a cast iron skillet that's been sitting on high heat and is thus already hot. Then you place the entire brick of ground beef into the skillet and leave it for a few minutes...letting it bronw, but not burn. Once that's done you can start to chop the beef up and cook...as by allowing it to brown, you've retained the juciness and the flavor that's characteristic of beef, to the max! What kind of pan you brown the beef in matters as well. Jessica says using a cast iron skillet that's been seasoned is best, and you won't need oil as the beef fat serves that purpose. If you're using a stainless steel, or other metal skillet, Jessica says to make sure you use an oil with a high smoke point. Like we said, aim high! 

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