One of the lovely things about living in the Cape is the wide selection of traditional dishes you comes across when you head into the areas such as the Karoo and in the Northern Cape.

I recently made a long trip up to the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (if you've never been to this wonderful place you re losing out on one of the most pristine wilderness areas in the world) and on my way down I stopped over in the dusty little town of Williston, where I stayed at the homely Williston B&B owned and run by Elsa van Schalkwyk.

She is something of a legend in that part of the world. She has a wide knowledge of the area, its history, its people, the superb range of succulents of the area (she also runs a succulent nursery where you can buy plants at ridiculous prices), but best of all, she has a vast knowledge of local dishes.

And it's from her that I got the recipe for today's delicious watermelon bredie. Do try it — it is very unusual and the taste is out of this world.

For the bredie you need:

• 1kg watermelon peel, the green outer skin removed and the white flesh cut into 1cm by 1cm cubes


• 4 lamb shanks (whole or sliced into chunky pieces)


• 2 large onions, thinly sliced


• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, finely crushed


• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed


• 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rings


• 1 tablespoon or two butter


• ½ cup lemon juice, vinegar or dry white wine

Instructions:

Put the watermelon cubes into a saucepan and cover with boiling water and bring to the boil, then drain and set aside.

Brown the meat in a little butter and remove from saucepan.

Add a little more butter if necessary then brown the onions and add the garlic for a minute.

Add the meat cubes, carrots, potatoes and garlic-onion, plus the lemon juice, wine or vinegar as well as the watermelon cubes.

Cover and slowly cook until the meat is tender.

Give it a touch of salt and lots of black pepper.

You might have to add a little more liquid (water, stock or lemon juice).

It is traditionally served with samp, barley or wheat, but rice works just as well.

Country food at its tastiest!

Wine recommendation:

Mike of Wine Concepts suggests the Rusticus Merlot 2006 (Robertson), which costs R73 a bottle to go with this unusual dish.

It's an elegant wine with aromas of wild spice and plums with lovely rich cassis, blueberry/plum flavours balanced with a firm tannin structure.

To order this, contact Wine Concepts.