Heritage Day meal ideas: Avo braai snack board

Celebrate Heritage Day with this delicious and easy-to-make Avo braai snack board.

This delightful spread brings together mouthwatering flavours that include deboned lamb ribs paired with a creamy avocado dip, spicy jalapeño poppers wrapped in cured meat, and charred avocado skewers. It can serve up to eight people.

ALSO READ: Heritage Day meal ideas: Grilled mielie pap cakes with chakalaka eggs

Avo braai snack board

Ingredients

For the rib and avo dip

• 1 deboned lamb rib (ask your butcher)
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Salt and pepper
• 250 ml (1 cup) sour cream
• ½ avocado, scooped out
• Handful mixed herbs (like coriander and basil)
• Zest and juice of 2 limes

Method

1. For the rib, sprinkle the rib with half of the lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.
2. Place into a closed hinged grid and braai over medium-hot coals, turning often for about 30 minutes or until crisp on the outside, but still juicy on the inside. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over. Slice into cubes.
3. For the dip, blitz together all the remaining ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the rib.

For the jalapeno and avo poppers

• 8 jalapenos
• 180 ml (¾ cup) cheddar, grated
• 60 ml (¼ cup) cream cheese
• ¼ avocado, mashed
• 16 slices cured meat (like prosciutto or coppa)

Method

1. For the poppers, slice each jalapeno through the length and remove seeds.
2. Combine the cheddar, cream cheese and avo. Season with salt and pepper. Fill the jalapeno halves with the mixture.
3. Wrap each half with a cured meat slice. Secure with toothpicks. Place into a closed hinged grid and braai over medium-hot coals for about 5 minutes, turning until meat starts to crisp and poppers are heated through.

ALSO READ: Heritage Day braai: The best sheba recipe for your shisanyama pap & BBQ ribs

For the charred avo skewers

• 1-2 avocados
• Cayenne pepper, for sprinkling
• Ponzu sauce, to serve

Method

1. Cut the avocados in half, and remove the stones and skin. Slice each half into 4 thick slices through the length. Thread each slice onto skewers through the length.
2. Place on a grid over hot coals, and dust with cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute or until charred (one side only). Serve with Ponzu.

*This recipe was sent by Protactic Strategic Communications on behalf of the South African Avocado Growers’ Association (SAAGA)

Avo braai snack board

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• Author: South African Avocado Growers’ Association (SAAGA)
• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
• Category: Braai
• Cuisine: Braai

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the rib and avo dip

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• • 1 deboned lamb rib (ask your butcher)

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• • Juice of 2 lemons

• • Salt and pepper

• • 250 ml (1 cup) sour cream

• • ½ avocado, scooped out

• • Handful mixed herbs (like coriander and basil)

• • Zest and juice of 2 limes

For the jalapeno and avo poppers

• • 8 jalapenos

• • 180 ml (¾ cup) cheddar, grated

• • 60 ml (¼ cup) cream cheese

• • ¼ avocado, mashed

• • 16 slices cured meat (like prosciutto or coppa)

For the charred avo skewers

• • 1–2 avocados

• • Cayenne pepper, for sprinkling

• • Ponzu sauce, to serve

Instructions

For the rib and avo dip

1. For the rib, sprinkle the rib with half of the lemon juice and season well with salt and pepper.
2. Place into a closed hinged grid and braai over medium-hot coals, turning often for about 30 minutes or until crisp on the outside, but still juicy on the inside. Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over. Slice into cubes.
3. For the dip, blitz together all the remaining ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the rib.

For the jalapeno and avo poppers

1. For the poppers, slice each jalapeno through the length and remove seeds.
2. Combine the cheddar, cream cheese and avo. Season with salt and pepper. Fill the jalapeno halves with the mixture.
3. Wrap each half with a cured meat slice. Secure with toothpicks. Place into a closed hinged grid and braai over medium-hot coals for about 5 minutes, turning until meat starts to crisp and poppers are heated through.

For the charred avo skewers

1. Cut the avocados in half, and remove the stones and skin. Slice each half into 4 thick slices through the length. Thread each slice onto skewers through the length.
2. Place on a grid over hot coals, and dust with cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 1 minute or until charred (one side only). Serve with Ponzu.

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