What makes a braai broodjie great

05 November 2016 - 02:00 By Claire Barnardo
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Smoked cheese & tomato braaibroodjies
Smoked cheese & tomato braaibroodjies
Image: Justin Patrick

The first braai broodjie was probably born out of what was available in the fridge: bread, cheese, sliced tomato, onion, and Mrs Ball’s chutney. Nonetheless it was an ingenious creation.

Looking for other exciting flavour combinations, Lust Bistro & Bakery – situated on the Vrede en Lust wine estate  – recently ran a Braai Broodjie bake-off with the aim of possibly adding this weekend treat to its menu.

We chatted to Head chef Johan van Schalkwyk to find out more about how to put together a brilliant braai broodjie.

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What makes a braai broodjie great?

The ingredients obviously play a large role in making up the perfect braai broodijie, but so does the company, setting and vibe!

What’s your advice when combining the right flavours?

Less is more! Do not overcomplicate matters by trying to add too much to the broodjie.

Stick to tried-and-tested combinations. For instance, my favourite sarmie since school days consisted of the traditional combination of bobotie and chutney. Very often a favourite sarmie also makes the perfect braai broodjie.

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What is it about the food at Lust Bistro & Bakery that makes Vrede en Lust a proudly South African farm?

Bread and wine! Need I say more? We pride ourselves on sourcing local ingredients.

What role does your heritage play in your style of cuisine?

We are privileged in this great nation of ours to have a rainbow of different cultures that have helped shape the cuisine we serve today. Think about the Malay, Indian, French, English, African, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Asian, and the list goes on! Over the years, these have all mingled to form what is known as our traditional food. We are blessed to have so many different flavour combos to work with and recreate modern versions of classics.

What’s your favourite staple on the braai?

Red wine! Oh sorry, on the braai… There is nothing like the smell of a Karoo lamb loin chop sizzling over the coals.

 

This article is adapted from one originally published in one of the Sunday Times Neighbourhood: Property and Lifestyle guides. Visit Yourneighbourhood.co.za, like YourNeighbourhoodZA on Facebook and follow YourHoodZA on Twitter.

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