Pre-braai snacks
While the braai’s being lit and the meat marinading, whip up these aubergine & prosciutto involtini with spinach, ricotta and sun-dried tomato, which you can serve, along with a glass of chilled Spier Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, to guests. Great for keeping hunger-pains at bay (nothing worse than a hangry guest!).
These vegetable and cheese rolls are packed with flavour … the prosciutto adds a wonderful smokiness, but if you prefer a completely meatless option, dredge the rolls without prosciutto into seasoned flour, and pan-fry in butter until golden brown.
You’ll need: 2 to 3 large aubergines, cut lengthways into thin slices, around 5 to 8mm thick; olive oil; salt & pepper; 1 cup ricotta cheese; 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated; 15 ml lemon zest, finely grated; about 8 to 12 thin slices of prosciutto; a small bunch of baby spinach leaves; about 12 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, sliced; 60 g butter for frying; 1 to 2 tablespoons capers, lightly fried; a handful of Italian parsley, roughly chopped, for serving
To make: Preheat the oven to 220 C. On a large oiled tray, arrange the sliced aubergines, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Roast for 15 minutes or until soft but not too dark. Remove and set aside to cool. Prepare the stuffing: In a small mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, parmesan, lemon zest. Season with salt & pepper and set aside. To assemble … lay out the slices of prosciutto on a clean working surface. Top each with a roasted slice of aubergine, then with a few spinach leaves. Place a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture on one end, along with some sun-dried tomato slices, then roll each one up tightly into a little log. Heat the butter in a large pan, then fry the involtini on all sides until golden brown. Add the capers right at the end and fry until fragrant. You can leave as is for a starter, or cut into bit sized pieces to serve as snacks. Either way, serve hot, scattered with parsley and fried capers and a glass of Spier Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, available at bottle stores and online at shop.spier.co.za
A braai or a pizza? Tough choice. Luckily Jan Braai, the face behind National Braai Day, has married the two. This local braai master has combined the flavours all of us love in his Jan Braai Pizza … dusted with mielie meal, chakalaka, with loads of pulled beef and sour cream and a little bit of coriander. You’ll find it at your local Col’Cacchio for R165, R5 of which is donated to Iris House Children’s Hospice to provide free community and hospice-based care for children with life-limited and life-threatening conditions. Details: colcacchio.co.za
For those who live in an apartment, this Table Top Braai is a brilliant option. Perfect for cooking on balconies or decks – or for camping and picnic trips – this lightweight, portable griller is made with double walled stainless steel (which stays cool to the touch) and comes with a handy carry bag for easy storage and transportation. It’s battery powered, with a fan to speed up heating. R1999 from woolworths.co.za
Yes, it looks like a spare part from the junk drawer. But it’s a braai spiral, and is jolly useful. This stainless steel spiral will hold your meat with fatty side down facing the hot coals, allowing you to step away from the spitting fat and giving you time to fetch another cold beer. Genius! R199 from outdoorwarehouse.co.za
