Pork and Chicken Sosatie with Apricots & Onions
So hey, yes, I’m still here. It seems we have some catching up to do. The past week has been more of a blur than usual – I’m happy to announce though that the as-yet-still-unnamed bean book has been jettisoned off to the publisher. I’m pretty sure we got everything in there. We hit send just after 11 on Monday night, having been up since 4 am to take over traffic duties on the Eyeopener that morning, and having accidentally, prematurely and sleep-deprivedly sent an incomplete manuscript about six hours earlier. I’ll spare you the details of those six hours. I’m not sure I remember them anyway.
At some point my friend and neighbour brought over a bag of cheese buns from Glamorgan Bakery, just because. Bless her.
Yesterday morning on CBC we talked about South African street food, which is something I admittedly knew very little about – it turns out South Africa is quite known for their street vendors, so it’s a particular shame that they aren’t allowed to sell their wares within a 100 meter radius of the soccer stadiums. (World Cup official sponsors have exclusive rights – that’s the way it tends to work. Here in Calgary, locally-produced MacKays ice cream is finally making it onto the Stampede grounds (they’ll be in Weadickville) for the first time, having not been able to get on in the past because Breyers had an exclusive contract. Now if they could only get into Heritage Park…)
Food prepared and sold from carts and catering trucks is really becoming the new thing, especially in larger cities in the US – even out in BC – I may have to hit the road and do some research, don’t you think? LA in particular is a hotbed for food trucks, but recently the first bustaurant opened – a converted double decker bus – selling South African street food.
Sosatie (pronounced: ‘soss-sartie’) is a kind of grilled meat on a stick – similar to satay – it fits right in with the Southern African love of barbecue (referred to as “braai”). I came across this recipe made with marinated chunks of pork tenderloin and chunks of lamb, alternating with bacon pieces and whole dried apricots. I swapped chicken thighs for the lamb, and streamlined the whole marination process. Everyone went mad for them. The marinade (which is then cooked down and brushed on as they cook on the grill) seems involved, but isn’t really.
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Perfect, Julie! My ten year old son has been asking to make some South African food for some of the World Cup games he’s been watching. I haven’t had a clue about to prepare but now I do. Thanks!
Wow, those sound fantastic!
Lyk herrlik! Looks fantastic Julie!
We haven’t had much South African food in years aside from boerewors(farmers) sausage and biltong. I’ll be giving this a try this weekend thanks!
If you have the time when you’re in Edmonton this weekend check out Betsy’s Boerewors: http://betsysboerewors.com/index.php/1/En I know folks who’ve had her ship goodies to them in Montreal.
Food on a stick, AND it has bacon and apricots!?
Looks soooo good!
That sounds very good!
I’m not sure about the bacon though, perhaps it needs to be a different kind of bacon than I normally buy for breakfasts… you know, the kind that’s mostly fat with a skiff of actual meat, and then they tell you it’s low in sodium to distract you from the other nutritional information. 😉
Not that I don’t love that kind of bacon, I’m just wondering how well it would hold up on the grill. Is that the sort you used, or did you go with back bacon? I can’t tell from the picture.
I think I’ll try the lamb, and maybe buy a chunk of bacon. That’d really be worth the experiment. I’ve got lovely apricots already. 🙂
That looks wonderful; isn’t it great that grilling weather has arrived? Tomorrow’s menu includes some tenderloin + veg chimichurri kabobs, but this might have to be the recipe I make next.
I could just about dive right in and get me one of those they look so good!
Beverly – yes, it’s just the plain old strip bacon you cook for breakfast – it’s just enough to add some flavour between the chunks of meat. A great idea, I think!
Oh McKays. Cochrane is my home town. 😉
Boy you got my attention with Glamorgan Bakery’s Cheese Buns. Many’s the Saturday morning trip I made to that place! Great looking kabobs. Can’t wait to try them.
I think I would use the bacon from Planet Organic – cut thick, no nitrates and a wonderful flavour. This recipe is going into my keep file for sure!
So fun to get my South Africa fix from the world cup coverage. Since a trip there two years ago, that country has owned a corner of my heart! I must try these!
Another great place to check out for Food Carts is Portland…..maybe on your way down to LA.
http://www.foodcartsportland.com/
I think a study of food carts and catering trucks would make a great book. You know, like those ‘road food’ books. With amazing photography and fun recipes.
Ooh, brilliant idea! And how much fun would it be to put one together?! Thanks for the link, Jill! I may have to make a pilgrimage..
Not that you need an extra project or anything. But if you need any help with research, you know who to call….
those cheese buns were my reason for existing during University!
Julie, can I ask if I’m able to locate those recipes you’ve been doing for Co-op in the Swerve magazine somewhere? That frittata recipe from a couple weeks ago looked great, but my husband – in one of his rare cleaning moments – recycled it… And I can’t navigate that Herald website for the life of me… Could you point me somewhere? Thanks!
bobotie is the bomb.
I made this in my slow cooker, leaving out the pork and wine and adapting method somewhat. I don’t have wine, skewers or a barbecue.
It’s still cooking, but if the aroma is anything to go by, I’d say it’s going to be fantastic.
Oh, and P.S. Yes, Bobotie is the bomb. Ground lamb and beef, baked in beaten eggs. Spiced with curry, onions, garlic and I can’t remember what else it’s been a long time.
It’s really a kind of meatloaf, so only one bowl and one baking dish to wash. Unique flavour.