Description
South Africa's amazing meatloaf, deliciously spiced, with savory custard topping.
Adapted from a recipe in the cookbook Cook With Ina Paarman
Ingredients
Scale
For The Bread:
- 3 slices white bread, crusts removed, roughly chopped or pulled into small pieces
- 1 cup low fat milk
For The Dried Spices
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of cayenne pepper
For The Onions and Garlic:
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
Other Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 large or 2 medium carrots, grated (about 1 cup)
- 1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and grated
- 1/3 cup golden raisins (optional)
- 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (1 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 5 bay leaves
For The Custard:
- 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pinch of pepper
optional topping:
- toasted slivered almonds
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF
- Soak the Bread: Put chopped bread into a small shallow bowl and pour milk on top. Press bread into milk and set aside.
- Measure out the Dried spices: Combine all the dried spices in a small bowl: curry, coriander, ginger, thyme, turmeric, cinnamon and cayenne.
- Cook Onions, Garlic and Spices: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet. Sauté onions on medium low heat for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add all the spices and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove skillet from the heat. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the spices are sticking to the bottom of the pan. Scrape the onion mixture into a large bowl and and let it cool for a few minutes.
- Add The Meat Mixture: Gently squeeze most of the milk from the bread and add the bread to the bowl with the onions. (leftover milk won't be used for this recipe) Add the lamb, beef, carrots, apple, raisins (optional), apricot preserves, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix everything together (best to use your hands) until just combined. Press mixture evenly into a 2-3 quart casserole. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, uncovered.
- Assemble Custard Ingredients: A few minutes before your oven timer goes off, get all the custard ingredients into a bowl: buttermilk, eggs, salt and pepper.
- Remove casserole from oven, leaving the oven on. Carefully pour off fat that has rendered. The meat load will have shrunken and pulled away form the sides of the casserole. Using the back of a spatula, press the meat down so it expands to touch the sides of the casserole. Insert the bay leaves evenly across surface (slit meat with a knife if necessary), tucking them halfway in so they flavor the meat but are still visible for easy removal before serving.
- Add The Custard: Beat the custard ingredients until smooth and pour evenly over the meat. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 50 minutes to an hour, or until the custard is set and starting to brown.
- Serve hot with rice or sweet potatoes. Top with toasted almonds, if you like. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Category: Main course, comfort food
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: South African