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 
That looks wonderful! I like the taste of goat.
It´s so sweet here as they tend to slaughter it young – we love it!
D’you know I’ve never had goat and I rather feel I’m missing out! It looks amazing. What fun you have.
In the UK the goat tends to be available in Caribbean butchers and is sold “older” rather like mutton vs lamb but still has an amazing taste. We tend to get the milk fed or very young goat here so it tastes like lamb…and all good fun, as you say!
This looks like a wonderful winter dish, with kid or lamb. Lucky you had a rainy day, or the possibility of one! It’s so dry here too, although it’s cold – good in a way because there’s nothing to freeze so no frost, but we do need the usual February rain soon.
The rain was short lived, hopefully we´ll have more as we really need it. Mind you, we´ve now starting picking our olives as the ground is hard and dry, so that´s good!
I’ve never had goat, unless goat cheese counts.
If you squint and imagine it with a big bone through it…maybe…well, no, it doesn´t count but you´re in London. Anything is possible!
That sounds fantastic – I’m cooking beef curry and this made me wish I had curry goat – that’s something to introduce to the Andalusians 😉
In the UK the only goat I had ever had was Caribbean Goat Curry (which I love!). I think it might go down quite well here…obviously after the inevitable “goat…curry..together?!” questions and raised eyebrows 😉 Enjoy your beef curry, you´ve given me a craving now.
I’ve never had goat or lamb but if you prepare this for me…I’d inhale it. Looks very rich and hearty.
It was very rich and hearty – slow cooked is a great way of intensifying flavours!
Way over here we’ve been hit with some unusual rainy, damp weather too! And just like you I do so dislike it, but it is so good for my herbs and lemon tree!! So this sounds perfect for this weekend, cooler weather and slow cooking dinner. Love how you added in the squash, I bet it melts down beautifully!
Yes, that rain – makes me feel a little wet and grey. But…after the rain comes sun! The squash was good as it maintained some texture, but mostly did melt down into the sauce. Yummy!
I love goat stews, caribbean ones particularly but I like your pairing of it with squash.
so you may have rain on the plain in spain ?!
We may – and we sincerely hope for more!
That looks wonderful and you know I’ll stick with the wine.
I knew I could rely on you to help me out with the wine!
Goat, eh? What does it taste like? I’d love to try it… I just have no idea what it could be like… I’m guessing a bit like a pale, slightly chewy beef?
Close your eyes and imagine a very young, milk fed lamb chop and you´ve got pretty much how our lamb tastes here. As it gets older it gets more “gamey” (if a mountain goat can be classed as game…I don´t think so!). We eat it pretty young here and the older goats are bred for milk.
Wow.. that braised meat look absolutely delicious and divine. Oh, I could go for some of that right about now. This is the perfect dish for me. Great recipe
Thank you Kay – glad you liked it!
I love eating a deliciously made any-lamb dishes. This one tops my priority of lamb dish to try. I used to go crazy over the red curry lamb…I guess I still do but now I discovered another special recipe. Thank you. Oh, no….it won’t be me cooking….I’ll ask my wife to cook it for me as a Valentine’s Day gift! .Wishing you and your family all the love and joy!
red lamb curry is also a fantastic dish! Hope you enjoy it if you do get to eat it 🙂
I have never eaten goat so maybe I will save this for when i come to visit (sigh) .. and I laughed out loud when i saw that you also measure your wine in glasses!! not cups.. one for me, one for you, one for me, one for you!! LOVE IT!! c
Well, I´m not going to drink my wine out of a cup (unless it was an emergency!) so glasses make sense to me! Goat is so similar to lamb when it is young, and I know that you eat and enjoy lamb so you´d like this. Will make it for you on your “visit” 🙂
That is one good-looking dish of comfort you’ve prepared for us, Tanya! And as if braised goat isn’t enough, you serve it atop fried polenta. That’s like kryptonite to us Bartolini! I would be more than happy to sit at a table upon which this was being served. Yum!
Still laughing about the kryptonite comment – so true and in Winter it has extra special powers I think!
goat is on my list of things to cook 🙂
We really enjoy it and it´s more common here than lamb. The goats have a lovely life too scrambling up and down our mountains eating and playing!
That’s so weird! We have just had 3 days of rain and I made a stove top lamb casserole TOO! Great minds I tell you! I have scheduled my post for the 24th though. I am trying to fill in some scheduled posts – seems I maybe going to Johannesburg for my mom’s birthday at the end of the month so just trying to be organised if I do go.
It often happens that way, you cook, photograph, write and plan (and often something a bit different) and then EVERYONE else seems to post about it before you! I think it means we all have very good taste and I´m looking forward to reading about your version. Do hope you make it to Johannesburg for your mom´s birthday – she´ll be so happy to see you!
Qué rico! Me ha encantado esta receta, con el frío que está haciendo un guiso como este es lo mejor 🙂
Estamos preparando muchos guisos ahora mismo con el frio ¿y tú? ¿El famoso potaje Madrileño?
Wow! I can’t wait to make this. I love goat but actually haven’t ever cooked it. Thanks for another great meal!
Hope you like it – it´s just like cooking lamb!
You (almost) made goat chili! 😉
Sounds like a wonderful, warming dish…
You´re right, I (inadvertently) did! What a happy “almost” 🙂
Reblogged this on The DelGrosso Food Blog and commented:
For those of you who love Cabrito and chili, this is the recipe for you. I for one, will definitely add this to my recipe book!
I have to admit I miss the lost European cuisine of eating capretto with creamy polenta…your dish looks mouthwatering with those succulent tender pieces of slow cooked goat. In Australia goat isn’t something that’s easy to buy for feasting cuisine. Of course a glass of red wine would flow nicely with this dish! Cin Cin! x
Yes, it does seem to be unusual toe at goat in many parts of the world – although I did read somewhere that more goat than lamb is consumed worldwide!
Mmmmmm. How do you never run out of ideas?? I probably use a total of 7 methods to cook meat, and you have an infinity amount of methods!! Heheheh, D-Man would love you. As of late, my current specialty seems to be basic chicken and garlic.
Lots of my cooking is very simple – like you with garlic and on the grill. But I hate to waste food so I try to come up with new ways especially to use vegetables. The everyday stuff doesn´t get mentioned here (or it has already been mentioned) so I like to experiment. I have the luxury of time!
Oooh that looks great, I just bought a bunch of squash and might have to try this. Loving all the amazing recipes on your blog!
Hola Jessica and thanks for visiting! Glad you like what you see on the blog and if you try any of the recipes out, do let me know how they go…
Wonderful, warm, slightly spicy–a spectacular combination. I don’t know if I can get decent goat here, but it ought to be exquisite with lamb too. I will definitely keep this one bookmarked, either way. 🙂
The taste is so similar between lamb and goat when they are young that it would be just as tasty!
T and I would both love this, set a couple of extra plates next time you make, we can hope the two of them will leave us some!
It would be an honour and a pleasure!
thanks for your response, I will try 😀