Braised Goat with Olives, No Kidding!

Local Edibles: fresh goat chunks, (reasonably priced around $5/lb, and can be easily purchased at The Holy Land Deli and Grocery)

Grocery Finds: russet potatoes (10lb/$2.99 at Rainbow); Roundy's brand black olives on sale (99 cents a can); day-old pita bread at Holy Land for half price! ($1.99)

(additional ingredients: bacon, onions, beef stock, petite diced and whole crushed tomatoes, crushed garlic, spices)

 

Spice Mixture Includes:

Cumin!

Chili Powder!

All Spice Berries!

Saffron!

Red Pepper Flakes!

Black Pepper!

Paprika!

Cinnamon!

Sugar!

Salt!

After mixing a teaspoon or so of each spice, throw them together in a bowl with a quarter cup of olive oil and whisk.  Then, lovingly rub the goat cubes with your spice mixture.  Don't be afraid to get in there!  All those cracks and crevices. You want these morsels tasty!  

Rub, baby, RUB.

Then, even though it should go without saying: wash your hands.

While the goat is marinating, cut your bacon in thin strips (just a few pieces--we don't want the bacon to overpower the goat here) and chop up one large onion.  Throw them in a large pot and get them started.  Add the goat meat once the bacon begins to sizzle.  Everything should be cracklin' and searing by now.

Use your stock to deglaze the pan.  Add your peeled, diced russet potatoes, a can of black olives, crushed and sliced garlic, and about 36 ounces of tomatoes (I used one can crushed, one petite diced).  Mix everything together, throw in a couple shots of siracha sauce and lime juice, cover lid, and turn down heat to low.  Warm up some pita bread to serve with your dish. About an hour or two later, viola:

The Verdict

First of all, did you know that something like 24% of the world's population consumes goat on a weekly basis?  SO many people eat goat, yet so LITTLE is prepared in the United States!  And the fact is--it's absolutely delicious!  Kind of a lamby/beefy hybrid with lots of connective tissue, but with its own distinct taste.  I have always wanted to try it, so... tonight was my night!

Taste: 7
Appearance: 7
Creativity: 5

Improvements for next time: more research!  I spent hours looking up goat recipes--stews, curries, etc.--but had difficulty coming up with something truly creative, so I opted for the braised goat technique instead.  PS Mom, I'm going to make a convert out of you yet!  Love, your loving (goat eating) daughter. Aloha!