With one of the biggest professional fights in history taking place during the wee hours of Sunday morning, there is certainly reason to soldier on throughout the night, or wake up rather early to watch the showdown.
It’s quite possibly the biggest fight since 1975’s eventful ‘Thrilla in Manilla’ – which saw boxing legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier square up in the Philippines. Undefeated professional American boxer Floyd Mayweather will enter the ring to compete against the Irish UFC Lightweight champion Conor McGregor, in what is looking to potentially be the most-anticipated boxing event in our lifetime.
If you would like to take advantage of the pubs & bars in Cape Town who will be staying open for the big fight, take a peek at our guide and be sure to book your seat!
The main event begins at 5am, with television coverage reported to be crossing over from 1am on Sunday morning. This could be a great excuse to round up a group of friends and entertain from home. For this purpose we’ve got you covered:
RINGSIDE RECIPES
Irish Nachos
If you’re on team McGregor, look no further than Irish Nachos. This simple dish is a crowd-pleasing, knock-out for the whole group – by replacing corn chips with potato you may never look back!
1. Peel and slice potatoes and cook them until they’re almost cooked.
2. Arrange them in an oven-proof platter and layer with store-bought salsa. You can also add shredded chicken if you need something meaty.
3. Sprinkle with generous amounts of cheese. I like to do a mozzarella and cheddar swirl.
4. Put under the grill until the cheese is melted, golden and crispy on the edges.
5. Top with sour cream and guacamole.
Better than finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
The Michigan Mash-Up
For the loyal disciples on team Mayweather, the Michigan (Floyd Mayweather’s home town) Mash-Up punches way above its weight. For this recipe, cover 900g whole russet or regular potatoes with cold salted water; then simmer 45 minutes.Cook 200g chopped bacon until crisp, then drain, peel and mash with 1/2 stick butter and cover with 2 to 4 tablespoons bacon. Add 1 cup hot milk, and salt and pepper; mash until smooth and fluffy. Fold in some bacon and sprinkle the rest on top.
A smash hit from the southpaw!
THE BOXING BRAAI
What better way to spend the hours leading up to the fight than by discussing who’s going to emerge victorious around a crackling fire? Sociable food is the buzzword here, served over several courses to prolong the time spent waiting for the build-up coverage to begin.
Jagermeister Sticky Wings
A coming-together of everybody’s favourite energy juice – Jagermeister – and good ol’ chicken wings. For this recipe, you’ll need:
Chicken wings
One cup Jagermeister
Two cups Apple Butter
Half a cup molasses
Half a cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. Liquid Smoke
1 tsp. Ground Ginger
1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
A large Ziplock Bag
In a medium bowl mix together all of the above ingredients (other than the chicken). Put the wings into the Ziplock bag and pour 3/4 of the sauce over it. Mush it around to evenly coat and let them sit for 1-6 hours (the longer the better!). Get your fire ready to a suitable heat for chicken, place your marinaded wings on and baste them with the remainder of the sauce until they’re done to perfection.
Mielies with Smoky Sriracha Butter
These mielies pack a flavourful punch! For this recipe, you’ll need the following:
-
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. Sriracha, more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. smoked sweet paprika
- Kosher salt
- 8 mielies
In a medium bowl, combine the butter, honey, Sriracha, paprika, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Season to taste with more Sriracha and salt. Over medium-low coals, add the mielies and baste them with your mixture. Give them a few minutes to cook and infuse and you’ll be ready for greatness.
BARE-KNUCKLE BREKKIE
5am is during that awkward time between late-night snacks and an early breakfast. This recipe will have you bouncing in the ring! It has everything; eggs, prosciutto, cheese, tomatoes, greens and a spicy kick – above the belt of course – to finish it off.
Breakfast Hash
What you’ll need:
4 medium potatoes, parboiled
Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp chilli flakes
4 eggs
Handful vine tomatoes
200g prosciutto
40g Parmesan shavings
2 large handfuls rocket
2 green chillis, sliced, to serve
1. Cut the potatoes into small wedges. Fry in batches in oil until golden and crispy, then
set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic with the chilli flakes, until the onion caramelises.
3. Poach the eggs by bringing a small saucepan of water to a boil and use a whisk to make a whirlpool in the middle of the pot. Carefully crack one of the eggs into a bowl and then slide it into the eye of the whirlpool. Turn the heat down and let the egg simmer softly for 3 minutes. Repeat with the others. (To reheat the eggs, pop them all in the boiling water for 30 seconds right before serving.)
4. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan until smoking hot, then add the vine tomatoes. Leave to pop and squeak for about 5 minutes.
5. To serve, top the potatoes and onions with a poached egg, charred vine tomatoes, a few slices of prosciutto, some Parmesan shavings and fresh rocket. Garnish with green chilli.
Photography Courtesy
