It’s an Amarula life

I internal monologue. I also internal argue. I have been known to lie in bed, having rampant arguments with myself about pending decisions. So this challenge was no different.

THE AMARULA PEOPLE OWE ME SOME SLEEP!

I had to create a simple, creative and original, South African inspired dish using Amarula. First I was going to make an Amarula soup. Then I decided to make three soups. Then I was over the soup and thought I should make Amarula ice cream. But that’s boring.  Could I possibly make Amarula Mac ‘n Cheese? No. Gross. Everyone makes Amarula curry, so that’s out. What. Am. I. Going. To. Make?

Simple, original, South African. South Africans like steak, and sauce, and potato. And… *shivers* pudding. It was a moment of clarity.

Rump steak with a Amarula and mushroom sauce, potato rosti, baby spinach and caramelised onions.

(Serves 4)

I know the list seems long. But, everything is so simple to make.

Steak:

• 4 Rump steaks
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil/butter, for frying
• Baby spinach:
• 2 bags baby spinach
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• Butter, for wilting
• Salt, to taste

Rosti:

• 6 Large potatoes, grated
• 2 large onions, grated
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Eggs
• 2/3 Tbsp fine breadcrumbs
• Oil, for semi-deep frying

Caramalised onion:

• 3 large onions
• Salt, to taste
• Oil/butter for caramalisation

Mushroom sauce:

• Make white sauce your own way or:
• 200g white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1Tbsp Flour
• 400ml Milk
• 100ml Amarula
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start with the mushroom sauce.

1. Brown your sliced mushrooms in a pan.
2. Melt butter. Add flour. Whisk furiously. Once lumpy. Add some milk. Whisk. Lumpy. More milk. Lumpy. More milk…. Until you have a gorgeous, smooth sauce. You can add more or less milk, just see how it goes. And finally, add 100ml Amarula and the browned mushrooms and set aside.

 Let’s get those onions done.

1. Add sliced onions to a pan on a low to medium heat, and fry slowly ‘til they are golden brown. Set aside.

Rosti, you say?

1. Grate your potato and onion. Put them in a clean dish towel, head over to the sink and squeeze out all the liquid. You’ll need to do this a few times to get rid of all the liquid.
2. Place in a bowl, add the eggs, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and mix. Take a handful and shape into a burger patty shape. Them fry very slowly on a low heat. You need to fry these slowly, so the rosti cooks through.

Feed me meat.

1. Season your steak lightly with salt and pepper and fry, preferably on a griddle pan, which I sadly don’t have.

And greens.

1. Add garlic and butter to a hot pan. Throw in the spinach, in two batches if need be, and wilt the spinach.