My Mom's Pumpkin Bredie or Stew (Recipe 1)
Cooking time: 2.5 -3 hours Per 640g serving without rice: 560 Calories 100g rice per serving: 365 calories Total Calories per serving with rice: 925 Calories Servings: 6
This is the one we grew up on. Lovely, hearty and extremely healthy! Just enter pumpkin into happyforks.com and see the long list of nutrients that will come up. It is a must have winter warmer! A bredie (stew) should always simmer gently to allow the flavours to intermingle and combine.
Notes:
Quick easy method to prepare pumpkin: Place pumpkin in two shopping bags or packets (I use 2 plastic shopping bags) and drop or bash a few times on hard floor to break it up into pieces. Scoop out seeds and stringy bits. Place pieces in a suitable microwave steamer with a little water in the bottom not to touch pumpkin as pumpkin is watery and will release lots water. Cover and steam. I usually use a large basin with plastic colander which covers nice and snugly with a large dinner plate over. “So improvise!” This speeds things up as microwave steamers are not very large. Place meat in pot with potatoes if adding together with 1 cup water (no oil – meat has enough of its own fats) & cook on low heat just letting it simmer away replenishing water until meat is softened. When pumpkin is fork tender scoop out flesh and add it to pot as you go along together with thyme, sage and chicken bouillon or stock cubes. Once your potatoes are fork tender add your salt to taste. Do not add too much pumpkin as it will sweeten the dish so stop adding if you notice this is happening. Sweeter pumpkins have scabs or rough scales on them. My mother always said to choose those that have the larger ring on the underside without any surface cracks as that can lead to black mould inside.
Ingredients:
1 kg stewing lamb or mutton
25 ml mixture butter & oil (2 tablespoons)
2 large onions, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
10 ml salt (2 teaspoons)
Black pepper to taste, freshly ground
Wine, extra dry white (is optional)
Chicken bouillon cubes or stock cubes added to taste
500 g potatoes, sliced, halved, however you wish
2 kg pumpkin, peeled and cubed
10 ml brown sugar (2 teaspoons)
Pinch parsley, freshly chopped
Pinch rosemary, just a pinch (crushed) or you my replace with thyme if wish
Pinch sage
Seasoning to taste (In South Africa it would be Maggie Fondor or the original Aromat
Sprinkling garlic & onion salt to taste (If unavailable just use fresh)
Salt to taste
5 ml cinnamon (Optional) I don’t add it but up to your own taste
Method:Heat your butter oil mixture (a little oil prevents butter from burning) in a large saucepan & saute onions & garlic until transparent. Add meat & brown quickly. Once browned, add potatoes together with wine if adding. Simmer, covered until meat starts to get tender. Add pumpkin.Do not add any salt, salty seasonings until your potatoes are fork tender.Once potatoes are tender you may add your stock cubes, salty seasonings & sugar.Add ground cinnamon if adding together with herbs & simmer for 1 hour longer or until done. Serve with steamed rice & enjoy!You may use butternut or Hubbard squash too if you wish in place of pumpkin & it may be made with lamb or mutton which is how we had it growing up as kids.Serve with steamed rice & enjoy!
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Beef Shin Pumpkin Bredie (Recipe 2)
Ingredients:
1/2 a pumpkin (In South Africa a Boer or a Crown Pumpkin)
1.2kg beef shin on the bone (6 pieces)
6 medium to large onions
1 teaspoon sage or to taste
2.5 ml thyme or to taste (Crushed rosemary may be replaced for thyme if you prefer)
6 chicken bouillon cubes or stock cubes added to taste
8 potatoes (optional)
Salt to taste (Use the nice floury potatoes that burst open when they cook – those big fat dirty round ugly ones that you use for mash)
Optional: garlic & bay leaves
Pumpkin tips: Choose a pumpkin that feels firm and heavy for its size.The more scabs the sweeter the pumpkin will be.Choose a pumpkin that has consistent coloring throughout.Turn the pumpkin over and place pressure on the bottom with your thumbs. If it flexes or gives your pumpkin is not fresh.Look for soft spots, mold, wrinkles or open cuts that would indicate damage or early spoilage.Choose a pumpkin with a solidly attached stem.A green stem indicates a freshly harvested pumpkin.
Beef Shin Pumpkin Bredie. I steamed my onions and plopped them out of skins.
It’s called improvising. How I steam my pumpkin in plastic colander covered with dinner plate in microwave. Do not let water touch pumpkin. Keep covered with a plate on cooling so it can sweat and the skin becomes soft and edible. Both my dogs love it! :)