Africa presents a veritable paradise for the sampler of exotic meats. Here are some of the creatures I enjoyed whilst there:
Kudu
Springbok (these guys are actually not found in the Kruger Park area and primarily inhabit the areas around Cape Town)
Crocodile
Impala
Wildebeest
Ostrich
(Just kidding)
Shown below is a plate featuring many of the above, courtesy of Momma Africa in Cape Town. From right to left, crocodile with peanut sauce, springbok, ostrich kebab, kudu, and a sausage made of a combo of kudu and springbok. The concoction on the left is a mash made from corn meal called pap n' wors, with tomato sauce atop.
Verdicts?
Starting on the right: I've had alligator on several occasions which, to me, has been virtually indiscernible from chicken. I expected something similar from its reptilian cousin. In fact, the croc had a taste all its own. It was interesting, but I found the peanut relish, depicted above as the orangeish heap on top of the meat, to be the best part. The peanut relish actually added a bit to it, but the meat itself did not do much for me.
The sausage had lots of malay spice in it, and that is primarily what gave it flavor. It was quite tasty, but not sure it had much to do with the meat.
I've also had ostrich before, and knew pretty much what to expect. It is a fine beef alternative, and one which I will continue to eat with pleasure, but also not terribly unusual.
Which brings us to the highlights: kudu and springbok. Both of these deer cousins tasted more beef-like than deer-like to us. Given their red meatiness, Eva actually sampled these with me! Between the two, our favorite was easily the springbok. It tasted like an exceptional cut of steak. Extremely flavorful, tender, and perfectly cooked. The kudu was a strong second, but not quite as tender a cut of meat as the springbok.
We also tasted wildebeest at Ryan's Kitchen in Franshhoek, which was another tasty beef-like meat. It was a tender medallion prepared with pancetta and a sauce made from a local stout beer and honey. It was a solid protein, but the award for the meat itself still goes to the springbok (though Ryan's preparation put Momma's to shame).
Finally, we are left with the McDonald's of the bush, the omnipresent impala. Ryan, the chef at Tanda Tula (not to be confused with Ryan of Ryan's Kitchen), made this into a stew, which was then cooked over charcoal. The stew itself was excellent, although I am not sure whether it was the impala or Ryan's culinary magic. It may well be one of those multipurpose meats that can be enjoyed in a wide variety of preparations.
So there you have my recap of some of the more interesting animals we ate in Africa. Some were tastier than others, but all were a wild adventure.
Note: Photos of springbok and crocodile courtesy of Google Images. All other images are from our travels.
Starting on the right: I've had alligator on several occasions which, to me, has been virtually indiscernible from chicken. I expected something similar from its reptilian cousin. In fact, the croc had a taste all its own. It was interesting, but I found the peanut relish, depicted above as the orangeish heap on top of the meat, to be the best part. The peanut relish actually added a bit to it, but the meat itself did not do much for me.
The sausage had lots of malay spice in it, and that is primarily what gave it flavor. It was quite tasty, but not sure it had much to do with the meat.
I've also had ostrich before, and knew pretty much what to expect. It is a fine beef alternative, and one which I will continue to eat with pleasure, but also not terribly unusual.
Which brings us to the highlights: kudu and springbok. Both of these deer cousins tasted more beef-like than deer-like to us. Given their red meatiness, Eva actually sampled these with me! Between the two, our favorite was easily the springbok. It tasted like an exceptional cut of steak. Extremely flavorful, tender, and perfectly cooked. The kudu was a strong second, but not quite as tender a cut of meat as the springbok.
We also tasted wildebeest at Ryan's Kitchen in Franshhoek, which was another tasty beef-like meat. It was a tender medallion prepared with pancetta and a sauce made from a local stout beer and honey. It was a solid protein, but the award for the meat itself still goes to the springbok (though Ryan's preparation put Momma's to shame).
Finally, we are left with the McDonald's of the bush, the omnipresent impala. Ryan, the chef at Tanda Tula (not to be confused with Ryan of Ryan's Kitchen), made this into a stew, which was then cooked over charcoal. The stew itself was excellent, although I am not sure whether it was the impala or Ryan's culinary magic. It may well be one of those multipurpose meats that can be enjoyed in a wide variety of preparations.
So there you have my recap of some of the more interesting animals we ate in Africa. Some were tastier than others, but all were a wild adventure.
Note: Photos of springbok and crocodile courtesy of Google Images. All other images are from our travels.
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