G is for Goat

I have only had the chance to eat goat once, it was absolutely delicious and not unlike lamb. It was in a fantastic Greek restaurant which used to be in Brantford, Ontario, where the chef was reputed to have worked for Onassis’ brother. We went there for my 50th birthday and had a fabulous meal, including the roast goat. Domestic goats are kept for their milk and their meat and, in some parts of the world their hair and skins are also much prized. There are, in fact, over 300 distinct breeds of goat. They are one of the oldest domesticated breeds and have been herded by humans since early times and the most recent genetic analysis confirms the archaeological evidence that the wild Bezoar ibex of the Zagros Mountains are the likely origin of almost all domestic goats today.

I just thought, I could have done Guinea Pig. They are eaten in Ecuador and I have seen film where some of the primitive people have guinea pigs running around their mud floors all the time and when they want dinner they just grab one or two and cook them. In the film, the traveller ate them and said they were tasty. What about what the Guinea Pigs leave behind, is that all over the floors too?

Moroccan Goat

Chef and caterer Sarah Dougall says, 'This Moroccan-inspired recipe is sensational when prepared with goat, which has a natural sweetness that is a perfect combination with this well-spiced dish. Serve the stew with saffron couscous, pilau rice or a simple salad accompanied with plenty of bread to soak up the juices.'

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the goat

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 750 g goat shoulder, cut into 4-5 cm cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 x 400 g can plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 30 g dried apricots, roughly chopped
• 1 pinch saffron 
• goat or lamb stock or water

For the spice mixture

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp ground chilli
• Maldon salt and freshly ground pepper

To garnish

• 4 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• ½–1 tsp of harissa paste
• ½ lemon rind finely grated and juiced
• 1 tbsp honey

To serve

• 300 g pumpkin, peeled, chopped into 1–2 cm cubes and roasted in olive oil with a little seasoning

Cook's notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Instructions

Place the olive oil in a large saucepan or flame-proof casserole pan and put it over a moderate-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion to the pan and sweat for 1 minute until transparent. 
Place all the spice mixture ingredients in a bowl and mix together until combined.
Toss the goat in the spices so that it is well coated. Add the spiced goat and garlic to the pan and seal the goat on all sides so that it is browned.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, cinnamon stick, apricots, saffron and enough stock to just cover the goat. Bring to the boil then reduce to a slow simmer. Leave the goat to cook for 1–1½ hours or until the meat is tender, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon (adding more stock or water as needed if the liquid level is below the goat).
If the stew is too watery, drain off the excess liquid into a saucepan and reduce until thickened. Then return to the stew. 
Stir in 3 tablespoons of the chopped coriander, harissa paste (more or less to taste), lemon zest, juice and honey.
Garnish with roasted pumpkin and scatter over remaining coriander.

Have a great day