Waterblommetjie Bredie - Recipe

Being very seasonal this wonderful vegetable is much under rated and sometimes almost forgotten. C. Louis Leipoldt with his wisdom of the Cape Floral kingdom has preserved this iconic dish till this day - there are few recipes more true to Cape Cookery than a hearty waterblommetjie bredie.

But fortunately, waterblommetjies – or Aponogeton Distachyos – had a well-deserved revival with commercial cultivation and especially in the Wellington area. Choose well developed blommetjies when buying. They should be dark green with a blush of pink on the tips - fully developed but not hard and woody. Preparation of them for a bredie requires a very good wash in cold water, just to get rid of anything slimey or insects that could be stuck to them.

Cooking time is slightly longer than that of green beans, and they should be really tender before serving. Knowing them mainly as an ingredient for a perfect bredie, they also make an excellent soup quite the same as broccoli soup

Ingredients:

• 1.5 kg lamb ( rib cutlets with a fair amount of fat are excellent)
• Halve a beef stock cube dissolved in 500 ml water and 500 ml dry white wine
• 4 onions cut into slices
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 0.75kg small potatoes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat a pan and over medium heat, sauté the onions till translucent and golden brown and remove from the pan;
2. Sear the meat in the same pan till light to medium brown. Add the stock, salt and pepper and cook for at least one to
3. two hours till tender;
4. Wash the potatoes and rosemary and add it to the meat and onions;
5. Clean the waterblommetjies very well under running water and add to the bredie;
6. Add one finely grated whole nutmeg;
7. Cook quite quickly for 20 minutes or longer until potatoes are just tender;
8. If the sauce is too watery, thicken it with a paste of flour mixed with water, milk or cream as preferred.

This traditional dish is served with rice and very often a sweet dish like sweet potatoes.

Waterblommetjies was elevated to iconic status by Anton Goosen's much loved Afrikaans song :

Waterblommetjies in die Boland.

Waterblommetjies van die Kaap.

Maak die bredie net soos, in die wynland.

En sê jy is baie lief vir my, voor jy gaan slaap.

Daardie wind waai weer, by my voordeur in.

Hy maak my hart weer, lekker sing.

Dit is gaaf, om die kaap weer dag te sê.

En ek vat jou saam, na die koringland.

Wie ry saam, as my hart so brand.

Dit is lekker om die Boland lief te hê.

Van Hunks het al sy pyp gestop.

Tafelberg se hoed is op.

En die bergies begin al huis se kant toe staan.

Groenpunttoring knip sy oog.

Die Suidoos maak so ’n wye boog.

En die waalpad help jou, as jy huis toe gaan.

Oh, die luggie hier is vry waar my hart heeltyd wil bly.

En ek wil my langs Oumies Victoria neer gaan vly.

Laat ons deur die tuine loop.

By die parade, iets gaan koop.

As die wind so koud waai.

Laat ek eers gou jou jas vasknoop.

Want daar is.

Waterblommetjies in die Boland.

Waterblommetjies van die Kaap.

Maak die bredie net soos, in die wynland.

En sê jy is baie lief vir my, voor jy gaan slaap.

O, Kaap, o Kaap, o, mooiste Kaap.

Jy maak my hart weer baie seer.

Jou Ghantang, kom mos altyd weer en weer.

Die Mayflower het uitgevaar.

En gaan snoek haal daar by Houtbaai, waar Karbonkelberg die stormsee gewaar.

Drie skepsels, het by Dassiepunt, na die ster gekyk,

en teen die wind in voet geslaan, en die stralekrans aangegee.

Hulle het teruggekeer na Tafelbaai.

En op Duiwelspiek vir die engel gewaai.

En die engel het trane uit sy oë gevee.

Want daar is.

Waterblommetjies in die Boland.

Waterblommetjies van die Kaap.

Maak die bredie net soos, in die wynland.

En sê jy is baie lief vir my, voor jy gaan slaap.

(bron Liriekfabriek.co.za)