Bobotie (South African Beef Casserole)
Category: Dinner
Prep time : 20 min
Cook time : 1 hour
Total time : 1 hour 30 mi
Makes: 8 Servings
Scale recipe by: ×
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 large onion, diced
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste —> use less salt, this was too much
5 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 pounds ground beef
4 bay laurel leaves, divided
1 rounded tablespoon tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup Indian-style fruit chutney, or to taste
3 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 1/2 cups milk, divided
2 large eggs
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Heat olive oil and butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt, and cook until just beginning to soften and turn translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in curry powder, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and oregano, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Add ground beef, and cook, stirring, while breaking the meat up into small crumbles. Add 1 bay leaf, tomato paste, and garlic, and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice and zest, vinegar, Worcestershire, and chutney. Smooth the top, and simmer mixture gently for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add bread to a bowl and cover with 1/2 cup of milk, toss, and let stand for 5 minutes. Squeeze excess milk back into the bowl and add soaked bread to meat. Mash, smash and stir mixture until bread is thoroughly blended in.
Add remaining 1 cup milk to the bowl; add eggs, cayenne, and pinch of salt, and whisk thoroughly. Pour gently over meat, and top with 3 or more bay leaves.
Bake in the preheated oven until custard on top is set and lightly golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Heat olive oil and butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt, and cook until just beginning to soften and turn translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
Stir in curry powder, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and oregano, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.
Add ground beef, and cook, stirring, while breaking the meat up into small crumbles. Add 1 bay leaf, tomato paste, and garlic, and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice and zest, vinegar, Worcestershire, and chutney. Smooth the top, and simmer mixture gently for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add bread to a bowl and cover with 1/2 cup of milk, toss, and let stand for 5 minutes. Squeeze excess milk back into the bowl and add soaked bread to meat. Mash, smash and stir mixture until bread is thoroughly blended in.
Add remaining 1 cup milk to the bowl; add eggs, cayenne, and pinch of salt, and whisk thoroughly. Pour gently over meat, and top with 3 or more bay leaves.
Bake in the preheated oven until custard on top is set and lightly golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
This is a fairly sweet dish, so the amount of chutney can be reduced to taste. Apricot jam can be used instead of chutney if desired.
Cook time should be shorter than 45 minutes in small convection oven. Use large cast iron pan.
Cook time should be shorter than 45 minutes in small convection oven. Use large cast iron pan.
Food Wishes
Submitted by Jessica on 2024-11-08