Father’s Day is a special occasion to celebrate and appreciate the wonderful dads in our lives. One of the best ways to show love and gratitude is to cook something special for your father or with a good old-fashioned braai.

Everyone knows that a braai would not be complete without a variety of meats such as boerewors, steaks and chops, or perfectly marinated chicken. However, your Father’s Day braai does not have to be mundane. So why not add chef Nhlaka Mtshali’s lamb skilpadjies to the mix?

Mtshali, a senior product developer at Woolworths Food, says this traditional South African dish made from lamb liver wrapped in caul fat, is an affordable and flavour-packed addition to prepare for the father figure in your life.

“I like to add some ground coriander before cooking them in a pan. The bold flavours of the salad, dressed in vinegar, cut through all that richness,” Mtshali said.

While skilpadjies are usually made on a grill on a fire and typically served as a side dish at a braai, they can also be enjoyed as an appetiser or part of the main meal. They are often accompanied by traditional sides such as pap, grilled vegetables, or salad.

Cooking skilpadjies in a cast-iron pan over coals adds a distinctive, smoky flavour that can’t be replicated on a regular stovetop.

The high heat from the coals ensures the lamb liver wrapped in caul fat crisps up beautifully, while the cast iron provides even heat distribution, preventing hot spots and ensuring a perfect cook. This method of cooking also allows the skilpadjies to retain their juices, resulting in a tender and flavourful bite.

Accompanied by a chewy sorghum salad, the dish is truly satisfying. So what are you waiting for? Try Mtshali’s recipe to make your skilpadjies shine for the special father in your life.

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SKILPADJIES

Ingredients

550 g Woolworths free-range lamb skilpadjies
2 teaspoons of coriander seeds, crushed coarsely
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
For the sorghum salad:
250 g sorghum, cooked
1 x 140 g jar Woolworths sundried tomato pesto
1 x 240 g sachet Woolworths sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 x 70 g sachet Woolworths black and green pitted olives, chopped
1 x 230 g jar Woolworths roasted red peppers, drained
100 g feta
1 red onion, chopped
6 red salad onions, sliced
4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons of olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
basil for micro-herbs, to garnish

Instructions

1. Sprinkle the skilpadjies with coriander and season. Heat the oil in a cast-iron pan over the coals. Fry the skilpadjies until golden brown. To test if they’re cooked make a small incision, they should be pink inside. If you prefer them well done, cook for longer.

2. To make the salad, mix all the ingredients, except the seasoning, or place all the ingredients separately on a big platter and mix at the table. Season.