Skilpadjies (lamb liver in caul fat)

Name: Skilpadjies (lamb liver in caul fat)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 46 min
Yield: 6 (12 skilpadjies)
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 500 g (1.1 lb) lamb's liver (calf's liver works too); Cold water or milk, for soaking; 250 g (9 oz) caul fat, from a butcher or specialty supplier, or 24 rashers thin streaky bacon; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 onion, finely diced; 1 tablespoon crushed garlic; 2 teaspoons coriander seed, coarsely crushed; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce; 50 g (1 cup) fresh breadcrumbs (optional, to bind); 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 12 toothpicks

Small parcels of spiced lamb liver wrapped in caul fat and braaied in a hinged grid until the outside is crisp and the centre just pink.

Coals: Medium coals
Prep: 30 min
On the fire: 16 min
Plan ahead: 20 minutes soaking the liver
Serves: 6 (12 skilpadjies)

Ingredients

500 g (1.1 lb) lamb's liver (calf's liver works too)
Cold water or milk, for soaking
250 g (9 oz) caul fat, from a butcher or specialty supplier, or 24 rashers thin streaky bacon
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon crushed garlic
2 teaspoons coriander seed, coarsely crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
50 g (1 cup) fresh breadcrumbs (optional, to bind)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 toothpicks

Method

Soak the liver in cold water or milk for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, pat dry, trim away any tubes, and chop it finely or mince it coarsely.
If you are using caul fat, soak it in warm salted water for 10 minutes so it unfolds without tearing. Spread it out and cut it into 12 squares of about 12 cm (5 inches).
Melt the butter in a pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic for 1 minute more, then let it cool.
Mix the liver with the cooled onion, coriander seed, cumin, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
Shape the mixture into 12 balls of about 70 g (2.5 oz) each. Set one on each square of caul fat, fold the fat around it into a neat parcel, and push a toothpick through to hold it. For the bacon version, wrap two rashers around each ball.
Lay the parcels in a hinged grid. Braai over medium coals for 6 to 8 minutes a side, turning once or twice.
If the rendering fat flares, move the grid to a cooler part of the fire until the flames die, then bring it back.
Rest for 2 minutes, pull out the toothpicks, and serve hot with roosterkoek or bread.

Done when: the caul fat or bacon is golden and crisp and a cut parcel shows only a blush of pink and plenty of juice in the centre, about 70°C (160°F) inside.

Tips

The soak takes the metallic edge off the liver. Do not skip it.
Overcooked liver turns grainy and dry. Take the parcels off while the centre is barely pink. Cook them longer if you prefer liver well done, but check them every minute.
Caul fat flares as it renders. Keep the coals at medium, not hot, and have a cooler zone ready.
Keep the parcels tight and pinned or they come apart on the grid.
No fire? Fry them in 2 tablespoons oil in a cast-iron pan on the grid or the stove, 6 to 8 minutes a side.

Skilpadjies means little tortoises, after the domed shape of the parcels. Smaller ones are called muise or vlermuise, and a large version sliced to serve is a pofadder. They come from Afrikaner farm kitchens, where nothing from a slaughtered sheep went to waste, and they still turn up at Heritage Day braais across the country.

Caul fat is hard to find outside South Africa. Streaky bacon is the usual substitute and gives a similar crisp shell. For the coals, see reading your coals, and for temperatures see safe braai temperatures.