Bobotie and Bring'n the Challenge

It's Masters Month here at our house and that means one thing...new ideas and recipes!  As you know, every year we try to recreate a new Champions Masters Dinner, based upon the last year's winner's dinner selection or even further back previous years.  When I say "we", that means my husband gets these wild ideas, challenges me, and then I bring it on!

This year as my husband was watching interviews on The Golf Channel during coffee time, they showed one of Augusta's chefs making "Bobotie" (South African Meatloaf Bake) from Trevor Immelman (2009) winner's dinner choice.  As I was watching the interview I was just sitting there and waiting for it...wait, here it comes...5-4-3-2-1..."Honey, you should totally make that this weekend!". I should be a psychic!

Bobotie...never heard of it, never seen it before.  The sound studio must have had great mics that day because their chef made it look and sound so good.  Why not?  I'll give this one a try.  Really interesting group of ingredients that is a very traditional dish in South Africa.  Husband loved it! Boom...another challenge scored!

Bobotie (South African Meatloaf Bake)
Courtesy of www.thedaringgourmet.com

1 pound ground beef, lamb, pork or combination
2 Tbl butter or olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 Tbl curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
1-1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbl apricot jam or mango chutney
1 Tbl cider vinegar
2 slices stale bread, crusts removed, and cubed, soaked in about 1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
1 cup diced apple, peeled and cored
1/4 cup finely diced dried apricots
1/4 cup golden raisins
For the custard:
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
For the top:
6 tay leaves
2 Tbl slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a medium 8x10 casserole dish.

Heat the butter or oil in a large frying pan and saute the onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the ground meat and cook until most of the pink is gone.  Add the curry, turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, cloves and allspice and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the salt, pepper, apricot jam and vinegar and stir to combine.

Squeeze excess milk from the bread and add the bread to the meat mixture. Stir to combine.  Add the egg to the mixture and stir to thoroughly combine.

Add the apples, apricots and raisins and stir to combine.

Scoop the meat mixture into the greased casserole dish.

To make the custard, combine the milk, eggs, salt and turmeric and whisk together until blended.  Evenly pour the custard over the meat mixture.  Place the bay leaves on top and evenly sprinkle over the slivered almonds.

Bake uncovered for an hour or until the mixture is set and the top is golden brown.  Serve with yellow rice.

** To make yellow rice, prepare some white rice as normal but add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric per cup of uncooked rice.

One Year Ago: The Masters Cheesecake
Two Years Ago: BBQ Chicken Fiesta Salad
Three Years Ago: Mushroom Soup