Finally we have had a small drop in temperatures and it looks as though rain may well be a real possibility in the next few days. Me, a Chica who hates the cold and damp, breathing a sigh of relief at the thought of rain which is so badly needed for the olives, the fruit trees, the rivers. What a long way I have come on my Andalucían journey!
Winter weather means warming winter food. After having friends over recently, I was left with half a kilo of chopped goat which had not been cooked so I froze it for a rainy day. That rainy day came round and to make a change from the simple local way of cooking it with garlic, chilli, bay leaves, peppercorns and white wine I decided to make a stove top casserole.
We are still being supplied with squash by Big Man´s cousin and I wanted to use some of this too. I also felt that if I “disguised” the squash slightly with lots of warming flavours, I might be able to persuade Big Man to enjoy it as much as me. I think it worked, he ate it with gusto and even had seconds. No leftovers for the dogs or to serve as tapas the next day with this dish!
Ingredients (to serve 2 if the meat has bones, 4 if it is boneless)
- 500g chopped lamb or goat (use a cheap cut like neck which is full of flavour)
- 500 squash or pumpkin, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
- About 5 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- ½ litre of lamb stock or use chicken stock plus a teaspoon of marmite or a beef stock cube
- 2 glasses of red wine (or replace with stock if you prefer not to cook with alcohol)
- 2 tsp of tomato purée
- Salt and pepper
- A sprig of rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped
- Olive oil for frying
- About half a cup of flour
- 1 teaspoon of mustard powder
- 1 dried red chili crumbled (optional)
Mix the mustard powder with the flour and season and toss the cubs of meat in it. Fry the meat until slightly browned and remove from pan.
Add more oil if necessary and gently fry the onions, garlic and squash until the onion is soft and transparent.
Add the meat to the pan, pour over the stock and wine, and add the tomato purée, rosemary and chili (if using). Let it bubble for about 5 minutes then reduce the heat and cover. Cook gently for about an hour and half until the meat is tender and the sauce thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning.
We ate this with some fried polenta, but it would also be great with rice or mashed potato and a glass of that lovely red wine you opened to put into the cooking sauce.
Chica Andaluza 