Spiced Bobotie with Apricot Glaze

Serves: to serve 6

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour

Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

2 medium - onions

2 tablespoons - vegetable oil

2 slices - white bread

8½ fl oz - milk

2 tablespoons - dry ground ginger (minced ginger)

2 - green chillies

6 - quails eggs

2¼ lb - lean beef mince (ground beef)

2 tablespoons - fresh chopped mint

2 tablespoons - fresh chopped coriander

2 tablespoons - ground cinnamon (minced cinnamon)

1 teaspoon - ground cumin seeds

1 teaspoon - ground allspice (minced allspice)

  - salt

3 - eggs

3 - spring onions (a.k.a. scallions or salad onions)

5 - bay leaves

FOR THE GLAZE

2 tablespoons - apricot jam

1 teaspoon - ground cinnamon (minced cinnamon)

  small pinch - chilli flakes

Directions

  1. Peel and slice the onions. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and gently cook the onions until soft and translucent. Remove any crusts from the bread and soak the bread in the milk. Once soft, squeeze the milk from the softened bread into the onions in the pan. Add the ginger then finely chop the chilli and add to the pan. Allow these too cook gently for a further 5-6 minutes then remove from heat and allow to cool.
  2. Cook the quail's eggs in boiling water for two minutes (this will give you 6 soft-boiled quail's eggs). Allow to cool in cold water then carefully remove the shells.
  3. Mix the onion mixture, ground minced beef and the chopped mint and coriander in a bowl. Add the milk-soaked bread, the ground cinnamon, ground cumin seeds, ground allspice and a little salt. Finely slice the spring onions and beat the eggs. Add these to the bowl and mix well by hand.
  4. Pack half the mince into a terrine then place the quail's eggs along the centre, side-by-side. Top with the remaining mince, lay the bay leaves on top, cover with foil and bake in a preheated moderate oven (Mk 4 - 350ºF - 180ºC) for 45 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and pour the juices into a pan. Add the apricot jam, ground cinnamon and chilli flakes and heat over a low heat for a few minutes, stirring all the time. Pour the glaze liberally over the bobotie and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes uncovered.