We are lekker spoiled when it comes to winter foods, on cold days we warm up with soups, stews, roasts and smoortjies.
We enjoy roasts on those lazy days, simply add everything together in a big dish, pop it in the oven and let it do its thing.
An hour or two later we can enjoy a hot piece of chicken with our favourite veg on the side.
On busy days a smoortjie with an onion and tomato gravy always goes down well with a slice of buttery bread or a roll.
A quick smoortjie can be made with literally anything we have on hand – chicken, tin fish, sausage, polonies and viennas.
My favourite winter food has always been a lekker bredie (stew).
Cooked over a low heat with a combination of onions, meat and vegetables, it’s all about the brown gravy or sousies, to drench a plate of white, fluffy rice in.
My tip to the perfect stew is all about slow-braising – take your time and ensure that the onions and the meat are browned to perfection.
The browner your meat is, the more flavourful and rich your gravy tastes.
Some stews are made with a tomato or vegetable base but you can add in gravy powder, stock, corn flour or even soup powder to make your sauce thicker or go further for that lang sous.
This week I’m sharing some of my favourite winter comfort foods and stews with you, which are all simple and easy to prepare.
Recipes:
Sausage food
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion (finely diced)
½ green pepper (diced)
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger
2 grated garlic cloves
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
1 tablespoon barbeque spice
500g beef sausage (cut in pieces)
4 large potatoes cut in quarters
2 grated tomatoes
¼ cup Mrs Ball’s chutney
3 cups water
Salt to taste
Method
Braise the onion in oil until golden brown.
Add In the sausage pieces and potato and braise until slightly brown.
Add in the pepper, garlic, garlic and ginger, spices, chutney and tomatoes and mix well.
Add 3 cups of water and bring to a slow boil.
Simmer on a medium to low heat until the gravy has thickened and the potato is soft.
Peas and Carrots Bredie
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion (finely diced)
1 tablespoon garlic and ginger
1 grated garlic cloves
2 all spice
½ tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
1 tablespoon barbeque spice
500g lamb or beef pieces
4 large potatoes cut in quarters
5 carrots cut in ½ then lengthwise
1 cup peas
2 grated tomatoes
1 litre water
Salt to taste
Method
Braise the onion in oil until golden brown.
Add In the meat and all spice and braise until brown.
Add in the garlic, garlic and ginger and spices and mix well.
Add 2 cups of water and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 35 minutes on medium to low. After 35 minutes, add in the potato, tomato, carrots and peas and 2 cups water and simmer until the gravy has thickened and the potato is soft.
Pumpkin/Butternut Bredie
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion (finely diced)
2 grated garlic cloves
3 all spice
1 cinnamon stick
¼ tsp fine cinnamon
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
3 tablespoons sugar
500g lamb or beef pieces
¼ pumpkin or 1 large butternut (peeled and cubed)
1 litre water
Salt to taste
Method
Braise the onion, all spice and cinnamon sticks in oil until golden brown.
Add In the meat braise until brown.
Add in the, garlic, spices and sugar and mix well.
Add 2 cups of water and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 40 minutes on medium to low. After 40 minutes, add in the butternut or pumpkin and 2 cups water.
Simmer until the gravy has thickened and the pumpkin/ butternut is soft.
Tomato Bredie
Ingredients
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion (finely diced)
2 grated garlic cloves
2 all spice
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
3 heaped tablespoons sugar
500g lamb or beef pieces
2 grated tomatoes
1 x 240g tomato puree
4 potatoes (peeled and cubed)
2 cups water
Salt to taste
Method
Braise the onion in oil until golden brown.
Add in the meat and all spice and braise until brown.
Add in the garlic, spices and mix well.
Add 2 cups of water and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 35 minutes on medium to low.
After 35 minutes, add in the potato, tomato, tomato puree, sugar and 2 cups water and simmer until the gravy has thickened and the potato is soft.
Salt and Pepper Roast Chicken
Ingredients
1-2 chickens cut in pieces (skin on)
5 potatoes cut in wedges
4 gem squash cut in quarters
1 butternut cut in chunks
1 onion cut in chunks
1 large head garlic cloves
1 sprig rosemary
1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon white pepper
2 tablespoons bbq or braai spice
¼ cup olive oil
Salt to taste
Additional veg of your choice
Method
Wash and clean the chicken and vegetables, rinse and allow to drain off all excess water.
In a large black oven tray add the chicken, veg, garlic, spices and oil and mix well.
Cover the tray with foil and bake in a preheated oven on 180 degrees for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes, remove the foil and pour out the excess water.
Grill on 200 degrees for 10-15 minutes until the chicken and vegetables are roasted to perfection.