Books & Literature

Cookbook Review: Cooking with Fire, by Duncan Welgemoed

Whether you’re an experienced grill master or just starting out, this book is a must-have for anyone looking to expand their BBQ repertoire.

Delicious, inspiring, practical, and informative.
4.5

Feature image credit: Affirm Press

Renowned for his restaurant Africola, Duncan Welgemoed has become one of the darlings of Australian cuisine. South African born, Welgemoed takes the diverse food of his homeland and gives it a contemporary twist.

In his latest book Cooking with Fire, the Aussie BBQ meets the South African braai.

More and more we are cooking imaginatively outdoors, and not just throwing some chops and sausages on the hot plate. This book covers standard, meaty, BBQ fare, but also delves into soups, stews, and other dishes, which can be cooked outdoors, over an open flame. Perfect for campers, grill-masters, and general cooks, it contains a wealth of delicious and easy dishes. Divided into sections based on dish type such as salads and veg, main dishes, desserts, etc, each section begins with a brief description of one of the states of Australia, followed by a comprehensive and eclectic list of picnic and BBQ spots in that state.

My Mum’s Potato Salad (page 52)

We are a potato salad loving family, so I had to try this one. He recommends Kipflers, which I adore, but they are sadly a bit hard to find in Adelaide. I substituted small reds, which were fine, but not as tasty as the Kipflers would have been. As Welgemoed himself says of this recipe, “This potato salad is for proper grown-ups. None of that bland, ultra-white, farty compost mess”! Its dressing is sharp and flavoursome, and the addition of pork scratchings on top is a stroke of culinary genius. More than a side-dish, it could easily be a lunch on its own. This one is now a solid addition to my potato salad repertoire. Thanks, Mrs Welgemoed!

Tomato Bredie (page 154)

Being South African myself, I was keen to try one of his bredies. Growing up, my mother, who was not South African, and was a terrible cook (sorry, Mum!), would sometimes manage to make a tomato bredie, much to my father’s delight. Bredie is the Afrikaans word for “stew,” and being influenced by Cape Malay and Indian cuisines, it is a stew with punch. As Welgemoed says, “it stops short of being a curry” but it is spicy, and hearty, and very easy to make. Other than having a well-stocked spice rack, if you have some lamb, some spuds, and a tin of tomatoes, you can whip up this nums! I served mine with brown rice. This would work particularly well in a slow-cooker if you aren’t out over the hot coals.

A fabulous addition to any Australian’s cookbook collection, this is both a great read, and a very usable collection of recipes. The ingredient lists are clear and well laid-out. Instructions, although written specifically for hot coals, are easily adaptable to the kitchen, or any form of heating really! These are recipes that are simple to execute, but satisfyingly complex to the palate.

My copy is already slightly stained, and likely to become more so over the next few months. I am looking forward to making Thermos Glut Soup (p. 87), Char-grilled Chili Jam Squid (p. 120), and Pina Colada Cake (p. 182). There are also recipes using local game, such as Wallaby Kebabs and Riverland Yabby Boil. And as a bonus, Africola’s barman has created three camping cocktails, especially for this book. I’m keen to try the Refreshing Curry Cruiser.

Cooking with Fire is surely one of the best Australian cookbooks for 2024. Throw another yabby on the braai, mate!

Reviewed by Tracey Korsten
X: @TraceyKorsten

The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.

Distributed by: Affirm Press
Released: September 2024
RRP: $39.99

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