Lamb Neck and Cabbage "Potjie"
A "Potjie" is a 3 legged, round bottomed cast iron pot where you put your ingredients in, and it simmers merrily over coals while everyone sits around it chatting away and sipping you know what.
It's much more sociable than a BBQ where the men usually gather round the fire and the women are usually busy in the kitchen, but don't be mistaken, this is strictly a male domain and the women are only required to do the side dishes.
Everyone usually has his own "secret" ingredients and "Potjie" competitions are very popular at fairs. Any large cast iron pot with a thick base and a lid should do.
Ingredients
2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 large onions, chopped
14 lamb neck chops
28Og bacon, diced
16 small potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 small cabbage, cut in 8 pieces
dash of lemon juice with 8OOml water
dash of mixed herbs
salt and black pepper to taste
METHOD
Heat the oil in a medium-size "potjie", then fry the onions, bacon and lamb chops for about D hour, stirring from time to time. Cover with lid and leave to cook for about 48 minutes.
Open pot, stir, then add layer of potatoes, finishing off with the cabbage. Add the water/lemon juice mixture, herbs and spices. (Don't stir yet)
Cover with lid and cook for about another 2 hours slowly over medium coals, check if there's enough water after a while, and add more if necessary.
Stir through; the meat should fall off the bones.
Serve with brown rice and sweet mashed cinnamon pumpkin.