South Africa's Bobotie

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. Makes 8 servings.