Most South Africans already have their braai (BBQ) favourites.
Heritage Day on 24 September is not necessarily the time to reinvent the whole menu, but it can be a good excuse to change things up a little: add a new side, try a different combination of flavours, or finish with a dessert that combines two South African favourites.
The wors, chops, chicken, steak or fish can stay exactly where they belong. Instead, we went browsing through the Le Creuset South Africa recipe collection for a few dishes that would make lovely additions to the table.
Here are five that caught our eye.
Roasted Pumpkin
Pumpkin is already at home alongside a South African braai, but this version takes it beyond the usual roast vegetable.
Le Creuset’s Roasted Pumpkin combines pumpkin with red onion, garlic, rosemary and cinnamon, then finishes it with mixed seeds, soft goat’s cheese and a dressing made with apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and wholegrain mustard.
The result is sweet, savoury and a little tangy, with enough flavour to stand up comfortably beside braaied meat. It can also be served warm rather than piping hot, which is always useful when several dishes need to reach the table at once.
View the Roasted Pumpkin recipe
Roasted Garlic, Potato & Sweetcorn Casserole
Potatoes and sweetcorn are hardly strangers to a braai table, which makes this one an easy crowd-pleaser.
The Roasted Garlic, Potato & Sweetcorn Casserole, created by Zola Nene, combines baby potatoes and corn with roasted garlic, thyme, a little chilli, cream-style corn, evaporated milk and cheddar. It is finished in the oven until golden on top.
It is rich enough to feel like a proper Heritage Day side, and it would work particularly well when the rest of the meal is fairly simple.
View the Roasted Garlic, Potato & Sweetcorn Casserole recipe
Harissa Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds with Rocket, Honey & Feta
For something with a little more colour and spice, these sweet potato rounds are a good option.
The sweet potatoes are seasoned with paprika and cayenne, roasted until golden and brushed with harissa paste. They are then served over rocket with feta, chives and a honey and apple cider vinegar dressing.
Sweet potato and feta are familiar enough, but the harissa and honey give the dish a slightly different direction.
It is substantial enough to work as a generous side, and it gives vegetarian guests a satisfying option too.
View the Harissa Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds recipe
Stuffed Palermo Peppers
If the rest of the braai spread is on the richer side, the Stuffed Palermo Peppers bring something lighter to the table.
The peppers are filled with feta, Parmesan, tomato, onion, mint and oregano, then roasted until tender and slightly charred.
They are simple enough not to create a whole second cooking project, but they look good on the table and bring plenty of flavour.
Serve them as a vegetable side, or make a few extra if you have vegetarians joining the braai.
View the Stuffed Palermo Peppers recipe
Malva Pudding Meets Milk Tart
And then there is dessert.
Le Creuset’s Malva Pudding Milk Tart brings together two South African favourites in one decidedly celebratory dish. The base is an apricot-jam malva pudding soaked with a rich cream syrup, topped with a milk tart layer and finished with cinnamon.
It requires a little more planning than the sides above, but Heritage Day feels like a suitable occasion for it.
And if your family usually has to choose between malva pudding and milk tart, this settles the matter rather neatly.
View the Malva Pudding Milk Tart recipe
For guests spending Heritage Day at The Milkwood Collection, self-catering makes it easy to keep things relaxed and enjoy the day around the table and braai. Our chalet and villa kitchens are stocked with Le Creuset cookware, which makes these recipes an especially fitting source of inspiration for a Milkwood braai.
Planning a spring stay in Knysna? Explore The Milkwood Collection’s self-catering chalets and villas near the Knysna Heads, or contact our team for help choosing the property that best suits your stay.