National Braai Day: Try these recipes

Americans do it in style with their state-of-the-art gas barbeques; the Australians, on the other hand, like to throw some ‘shrimp on the barbie’ but we South Africans know how to make the perfect braai.

What is a South African braai without its best supporting acts, first up the braai broodjie.

This South African braai staple is usually served on white or brown bread; spread with lashings of butter on the outside, and filled with thick, juicy slices of tomato, onion and cheese on the inside.

Today (September 24), we celebrate Heritage Day, which has also become a popular day to invite a few friends over to have a braai (National Braai Day) and cook up some meat and wors.

The standard braai broodjie recipe is as follows:

Butter the bread and add lots of grated cheese, sliced onions, sliced tomatoes, salt and pepper, and be sure to braai slowly.

For those looking for a gourmet version, renowned Durban caterers Blue Strawberry has some gourmet variations for you to try:

• Brie and fig jam – add preserved fig and some crushed nuts for texture
• Chip ‘n cheese -slap chips, curry gravy and oozy cheese
• S’more variation – Nuttella, sliced banana and marshmallows
• Peanut butter and bacon – crunchy peanut butter in lashings with crisp bacon and some salted peanuts for crunch
• Black mushroom and haloumi – sliced and fried black mushrooms well drained with sliced haloumi and a little mozzarella for the stretch.

Another side dish that isn’t given enough glory is pap.

A gourmet slant on the standard pap and tomato gravy dish is this creamy cheesy pap recipe dish supplied by Goodersons Drakensberg Gardens Golf and Spa Resort, executive chef Francis Hegarty.

Recipe:

• Cook pap and set aside.
• Chop one onion, a punnet of mushrooms and 250g bacon.
• Fry together in a pan and add a clove of garlic and salt and pepper. Add 250ml cream to make a sauce.
• Place the pap in an oven dish and pour the sauce over the top.
• Add lots of cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

Celebrate your heritage over a braai, with those you love, this September.