South Africa's Bobotie

3 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
2 c. fresh bread crumbs
1/2 c. milk
3 lbs. chuck beef, ground 3 times
1 egg
1 to 2 tbsp. curry powder
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. plum jam
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. ground blanched almonds
3 bay leaves
2 lemons, sliced
Lemon leaves
2 pimento strips

Makes 8 servings.

Start heating oven to 350 degrees. In a small skillet, melt
butter; add onion and saute until golden. Soak bread crumbs in
milk. Thoroughly combine chuck, egg, onion, curry powder, salt,
plum jam, lemon juice and almonds. Also bread crumb mixture. In
the bottom of a ungreased 10 inch pie plate or round baking dish,
lay bay leaves. On top, arrange the meat mixture, patting it with a
fork. Leave about an inch between mixture and edge of dish or
plate. Bake 1 hour; then drain off any excess liquid. Serve with
lemon slices and leaves arrange as a border around the edge of the
meat: lemon slices touching with leaves placed under slices where
they meet. Take a lemon slice, cut half way, twist it and place on
top with pimento strips running under the twist of the lemon. Serve
in wedges.