TALKING RUGBY – Best Of Bloemfontein

Super Season is with us, and whether you’re a Bull, a Lion, a Cheetah or a Shark, make rugby time family time this season and score all round!

Proudly South African

Whatever Super Team you’re supporting we know (well hope) it’s local! So sport your true sporting heart on your sleeve – well on your grill – with this 100% South African braai marinade – using local, loved, ingredients…

1 Cup All Gold Tomato Sauce

50ml Maggie Worcestershire Sauce

50ml Mrs Ball’s Chutney

1T Aromat

1T vinegar

1 can Stoney ginger beer

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

Mix all the ingredients. Marinade the meat for 3-4 hours before you braai. Great with chicken, ribs, lamb and steak.

Recipe via showme.co.za

A ball worth a “try”

Trade in your usual bowl of biltong and chippies for this easy but silver service worthy snack … we’re talking about Dutch meatballs, otherwise known as bitterballen.

Melt 3T butter in a large saucepan, stir in 3Tb sifted all-purpose flour and gradually add half a cup beef broth while you bring to boil. Cook and stir for a minute until it thickens. Add 1 beef top sirloin steak, chopped and pressed into balls, 1/4 cup minced parsley and cook for another 2 – 5 minutes until meat is done. Stir in 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg and a pinch of pepper. Dip each meatball into a bowl of bread crumbs and then a mixture of 2 eggs, 1 tsp milk and 1 tsp canola oil and then dip them back in the breadcrumbs. Then fry meatballs, a few at a time, for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown on all sides and drain on paper towels. Serve hot with mustard.

Recipe adapted from www.tasteofhome.com. Image sourced from Wikipedia on Creative Commons.

Snack attack

Entertaining hosts of people and the game’s too exciting to stay in the kitchen. Prep your popcorn before and dazzle your guests with these tasty takes on the old faithful.

Chocolate & Coconut Popcorn

Image and recipe courtesy saltycanary.com

Large bowl freshly popped popcorn

½ t coconut oil

½ C chocolate chips

½ C sweetened coconut flakes

½ C plain coconut flakes

½ t sea salt to taste

Spread all the coconut flakes in a thin layer on a baking sheet and baking them at 180°C for 7-12 minutes, until browned to your liking.
Melt the chocolate with ½ tsp of coconut oil on a very low heat in the microwave.
Spread the popcorn out on a layer of wax paper on a baking pan and drizzle with chocolate, sprinkle with coconut flakes, and add a dash of sea salt.
Let the chocolate harden, then add to bowls and enjoy!

Sweet & spicy wasabi popcorn

Image and recipe courtesy kitchenconfidante.com

Large bowl freshly popped popcorn

1 t brown sugar
1 t salt
1 t wasabi powder, sifted
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1-2 tablespoons melted butter (optional)

Stir the sugar, salt, wasabi powder and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
Toss this mixture along with melted butter over freshly popped corn.
Enjoy while toasty!

Rosemary Parmesan Popcorn

Image and recipe fivehearthome.com

Large bowl freshly popped popcorn

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 large garlic clove, peeled and smashed

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Place 1 sprig rosemary and smashed garlic clove in the bottom of a small saucepan. Pour olive oil on top and set on stove over low heat. Stir in garlic salt and black pepper, to taste. Heat until very warm but not simmering.
Turn off heat and allow to sit.
Pull leaves from second sprig of rosemary and finely mince. Set aside.
Remove rosemary sprig and garlic clove from the warmed olive oil. Drizzle olive oil mixture over popped popcorn and toss to coat.
Sprinkle popcorn with grated Parmesan, the minced rosemary, and additional garlic salt and black pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Salted peanut butter caramel corn with bacon

Image and recipe courtesy thepioneerwoman.com

Large bowl freshly popped popcorn

½ C coconut oil

2/3 C corn syrup

1 C peanut butter

2 C sugar

1 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

1 t vanilla

1 C honey roasted peanuts

4 slices cooked bacon, chopped small

Preheat oven to 120°C and prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper.
In a large pan add oil, corn syrup, peanut butter, sugar and kosher salt. Bring to a simmer and stir to combine. Let caramel simmer for 6–7 minutes over medium heat.
In a tiny bowl, mix together baking soda and vanilla until smooth. Add mixture to the caramel and stir to combine until it foams up. Turn heat off and pour popcorn into the caramel. Stir to mix and coat the popcorn.
Transfer popcorn to the prepared sheet pan and spread it out evenly. Bake popcorn for 15 minutes and then, using a spatula, mix it around. Bake it another 15 minutes until golden and crispy.
Let the popcorn cool completely and then break up into chunks. Mix in the honey-roasted peanuts and bacon pieces.

Party tricks

Get your team in a winning mood, with these 2 clever catering ideas. Adapt the look with eats and treats in your home team colours.