Lekker Lamskenkel-potjie
July 29, 2011 in Meat
No apologies for the Afrikaans recipe title. Afrikaans is my mother’s language and my first language and Afrikaners get very plesierig when we braai and when we make a potjie, we get even more plesierig as the cooking time for lamb knuckle is infinitely longer than for lamb chops ..!
But just in case you’re not that familiar with Afrikaans, potjie is the term for a cooking vessel used outdoors over an open wood fire. Like much of our local lingo, it has taken on various inferences. It has also become the term for a stew-like recipe or meal cooked in the vessel over the open fire. And alas, it has even become a verb: “We’re going to potjie this weekend.” And we even have a fabulous local male blogger – the only really prolific, good and active male blogger around that I know of – called you guessed it, Potjie.
Anyways, I have never-ever made a potjie over the coals in my life but I bet any woman who can cook a great stew can potjie a man right under the table. It’s just we dislike the heat … But I bet more women have made more stew-kinds of food than any other kind of food and the reason? Time, dears, time. With a stew, you chop it all up, brown it a little, season, add something that will end up as a sauce and simmer. And other than the occasional peek in the pot, you can get on with it. Whatever your ‘it’ is …
So, here’s the weekend’s slow food to give you time for your ‘it’. It’s a hearty, mix-‘n-match concoction with great smoky tones. And note that I’ve been radical with the quantities of the aromatics and spices. You can reduce the spice (or even increase, o my wild sister) to suit your own taste and flair. And you can do it or he can do it or you can both do it and you can do it over the coals or using the top of the stove or the oven or even under the bed if you own one of those nifty cooking bag thingies … (forgive me dear manufacturer, I read about and forgot the name … ) But anyway, here is the recipe. Enjoy!
Lekker Rokerige Lamskenkel-potjie
In honour of the Mexican inspiration, I usually serve this with creamy yellow polenta and pass around bowls of avocado and cucumber salsa, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and coarsely chopped coriander leaves (cilantro).
Until next week, have yourself a potjie of a weekend!
ninatimm said on July 29, 2011
Love it, love it! I also love the little Mexican twists you have added!
Sous-Chef said on July 29, 2011
The bag thingy is a Wonderbag. You can’t beat a good stew with rib sticking qualities! Have a great weekend.
pinkpolkadot said on July 29, 2011
Dit lyk heerlik, Anne!! Lekker naweek!
ilovecooking said on July 29, 2011
Pienkels, ek het daai resep nog NOOIT getoets nie alhewel ek dit al miljoen ker gemaak het – you know what I mean. SO good luck, sister!! XXX
potjie said on July 29, 2011
Eish, maar die girl maak a mean potjie.
ilovecooking said on July 29, 2011
Dankie virrie sterre my skat! Ma’ die complement orie potjie? Nei, die girl kan g’n mean potjie maak nie. Kannie eers ‘n vuur maak sonder sewe sakke van daai klein splintertjie-houtjies, vier bokse blits en ‘n hele maand se Rapporte nie! Lekker naweek. Ek is so moeg ek het sommer die middag afgevat! Ek is mos die baas, ne?
ilovecooking said on July 29, 2011
My dearly departed called me a Wonderbag!! LOL! Once I had to present a little television series called The Wondercooker. It was for a special kind of lid called the Wonderlid and the production team (before I had my own) was so shallow and money-loving he dubbed it the Wonderhooker show! WHen I asked what does it make me then, he said his Wonderbagm hence the term. Lovely memories! Great weekend to you and thanks for the Wondertip! XXX
ilovecooking said on July 29, 2011
Hariba, hariba senorita! xxx
janicetripepi said on July 30, 2011
Lyk heeeeeeerlik skat!! Ek het nog nooit ‘n potjie gemaak nie – miskien issit tyd! But I can make a mean fire – I am so good at making fires that I all but burnt a friends kitchen down xxx jan
ilovecooking said on July 31, 2011
Hi Jan honey ….. are you crazy or do you/I have our clocks ticking incorreclty? Or did you really write comments on blogs round-about 5 am Saturday morning??!! Sista, we heff to talk …. thanks for all the nice comments even though they may have come so early …. LOL XXXX Anne
fritzbrand said on July 31, 2011
Lyk lekker Anne! Potjie is darem maar altyd ‘n wenner!
Juno62 said on July 31, 2011
That is one seriously delicious looking potjie.
janicetripepi said on August 1, 2011
Eish meishe – ja, it’s the menopause ‘malema’ (my new for dilemma) I have to get up so early to have enough time go for my walk, blog and take all of the supplements that my boday and mind (huh – what mind)need to stop my body parts from falling off, withering or succumbing to gravity! xxx have a great week and good luck with the shooting xxxx jan
ilovecooking said on August 2, 2011
Thanks for popping in! Love the leeks.
ilovecooking said on August 2, 2011
Dankie Fritz … Potjie is, ja. LOL!