Goat Slow-Cooked with Harissa & Borlotti Beans

Posted on January 28, 2018 by ChgoJohn

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Hello there! When last we spoke, it was Christmas Eve and I announced my return to the wonderful world of Word Press. Well, that was the plan anyway. Shortly after posting, I met dear friends for dinner, during which I mentioned a “scratchy throat.” (Cue ominous music.)

Christmas morning I awoke with what would become the Mother of all Chest Colds. (It couldn’t possibly have been flu because I had received a flu vaccination last fall.) With Max playing nursemaid, I was sofa-bound for much of the next month. Even now, I’ve a mild case of the sniffles. Worse, this “thing” is making the rounds and a number of friends are similarly affected. Happy New Year!

But enough about me. Today’s recipe, like many to come, was written during my ever-so-lengthy “brief” hiatus last year. If and when I came upon a great recipe, I’d prepare it, record the recipe, and post its URL in a special file so that I could credit the author when the time came. What could possibly go wrong?

Earlier this week, I pulled up this recipe and looked for my file of recipe links. As you may have already guessed, the file was nowhere to be found, and my attempts to recover it from back-ups have, thus far, been unsuccessful. As such, we’ve little choice but to soldier on and I promise to come back and give credit for the original recipes when and if I find them.

I truly enjoy this dish and it has become part of my winter rotation of suppers. It is pure comfort food and just what’s needed when a Polar Vortex threatens. Truth be told, it’s for dinner tonight, although lamb is the protein but more about that later.

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Brown the goat

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Harissa-Braised Goat with Borlotti Beans Recipe

Ingredients

at least 4 tbsp Olio Santo, divided (see Notes)
2 – 3 lbs (900 – 1300 g) goat cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces (See Notes, & Variations)
approx. 1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground (see Notes)
2 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground (see Notes)
1 large onion, sliced
1 inch ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
1 small can (14.5 oz, 400 g) diced tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp harissa sauce — more or less to taste
2 tbsp honey
zest and juice of 1 lemon — 1/2 preserved lemon, sliced, may be substituted (recipe follows)
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs rosemary
1 cup dry white wine
1 lb (450 g) fresh Borlotti/cranberry/Roman beans (see Notes)
salt and pepper

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for the Gremolata (see Notes)

2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped — anchovy paste may be substituted
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
zest of 1 lemon

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Start of Braise

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Directions

Heat 2 tbsp Olio Santo in a large frypan over med-high heat.
Season the goat with salt and pepper.
Use the flour to coat the goat pieces.
Brown the goat pieces on all sides. Work in batches and it will take about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Add more Olio Santo as needed. Remove and reserve the browned meat.
Heat 2 more tbsp Olio Santo in the same pan and add the onions. Sauté until soft, about 8 minutes.
Add the ginger and garlic, continue to sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, harissa, honey, lemon juice & zest, rosemary, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Add the cooked onion mixture to the slow cooker when fully sautéed. Stir.
Use the wine to deglaze the frypan. Add the liquid to the slow cooker when the pan is fully deglazed.
Add the meat to the slow cooker and stir.
Set slow cooker to LOW and cook for 4 hours.
After 4 hours, add the beans and stir.
Continue to cook on LOW for 4 more hours.
Make the gremolata towards the end of the cooking process:
- In a small bowl, combine the anchovies, garlic, parsley, and zest. Stir until fully combined.
Serve immediately, garnished with the gremolata. A chunk of bread wouldn’t hurt.

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End of Braise

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Notes …

Olive oil may be substituted for Olio Santo. If preferred, add red pepper flakes to the pan when the onions are added.

Use 2 lbs of meat when boneless, and closer to 3 lbs when bone-in.

This recipe requires 8 hours on LOW to prepare. You can reduce the cooking time by setting your cooker to HIGH for all or part of the time. Just remember that 1 hour on HIGH equals 2 hours on LOW.

When using whole herb seeds, it’s best to toast them prior to grinding. I use a small frypan on the stove top, while others prefer to spread the seeds on a baking sheet before placing in the oven. Either way, if you intend to use the same utensil, place the larger seeds on the heat source before the smaller to prevent the small seeds from scorching. Here, I toasted the coriander seeds for a minute or so before adding the cumin. Once cooled, I ground them together and added the mixture to the recipe.

Although I used fresh beans, you can use canned or rehydrated beans. If using canned, be sure to rinse them before adding to the slow-cooker 2 hours before the dish is fully cooked. If using dried beans that you’ve pre-soaked, treat them as fresh, adding them to the pot 4 hours before completion..

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Variations …

Good quality goat is not available in all areas. Not to worry. You can substitute lamb and still enjoy a fantastic meal.

The gremolata recipe is one that I found in one of Mom’s recipe notepads. I prefer it because, unlike most others, it includes anchovies. If you prefer, you can omit the little fishies, or the gremolata altogether. if you do choose to leave out the gremolata, a bit of citrus zest — lime, orange, or lemon — makes a great garnish, as does a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt. The latter being particularly useful when you’ve added a bit too much harissa.

Although it is meant to be served as-is, I’ve found that a scoop of plain rice is a welcome addition, resulting in a very flavorful beans and rice dish.

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Preserved Lemons Recipe

Preserved lemons are believed to have originated in Pakistan and India, before making their way to the Middle East. Today they are an integral part of many Moroccan recipes. The lemons add a distinct citrus-y flavor to a dish, and some say that the flavor intensifies the longer it cooks in the pot. Although there are a variety of recipes, each using a number of spices, all are based upon the same 3 ingredients: salt, lemons, and lemon juice. I use the simplest of recipes so that I can better control the flavor of the final dish.

Here in the States, Meyer’s lemons are in season. It is said that these lemons are closest to those found in Morocco. Of course, if you cannot find Meyer lemons, any old lemon will work.

To begin, take 4, 5, or 6 (Meyer) lemons, depending upon the jar size, and scrub well. Place 1 tbsp of kosher salt into a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. Remove no more than the tip from each end of the lemon. Beginning at one end, slice the lemon at least halfway down but no more than 3/4. Do not separate the halves. Turn the lemon and repeat the process, slicing it into quarters. Place a tbsp of kosher salt between the sections, covering the cut surfaces, before placing the lemon into the jar. Repeat the process with more lemons, stuffing the jar as best you can. When finished, add another tbsp of kosher salt on top. If there isn’t enough liquid to cover the lemons, add the juice of a fresh lemon to “top off” the jar. Cover the jar and place in a warm room, shaking daily, for one month. Use as the recipe requires.

Your preserved lemons will last indefinitely. The liquid can be replenished using fresh lemon juice, as required. The liquid can even be used in recipes, or, to help start your next batch of preserved lemons,

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It’s déjà vu all over again …

You may recall that in recent years, I’ve prepared honey mustard and ketchup at Christmas time, giving friends jars of the condiments as gifts, This year was no exception. Both are easy to make and so much better than anything that might be found on a grocer’s shelves. You can find the Honey Mustard recipe HERE, and the Ketchup recipe HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Slow-Cooker Mole Pork

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Roasted Vegetable Salad with Harissa

Posted on April 23, 2014 by ChgoJohn

108

Oh, harissa! How do I love thee?

This is another in the series of recipes dedicated to my new love, the ever so delectable harissa. I told you that I was harissa obsessed and today’s recipe is further proof. Prior to this, I’ve shared recipes for goat and for chicken cooked in harissa. Included in the latter post was a recipe for the spicy sauce. For that recipe, I trimmed away the seeds and ribs from all the chiles and said that I wouldn’t do it again the next time I prepared the sauce. And so I did, finding this batch to be more spicy than its predecessor and, this time, the heat didn’t completely dissipate during cooking. Perfect.

So, armed with a fresh batch of harissa, I went searching for a new use. I didn’t have to go far because the internet is jam-packed with recipes using harissa. I eventually chose a salad with roasted vegetables, which should be popular with our friends to the Far South, where colder temps are taking hold. If you’re in the North, though, don’t let that dissuade you from trying this salad. I found it to be a perfect lunch for a chilly Spring day — and we seem to be having more than our fair share of those.

Aside from using my own harissa sauce, I did make a few changes to the original recipe. In the first place, I halved the quantities. It’s a good salad but there’s only so much one person can eat. The cilantro/coriander was the next thing to go and in its place I used the leaves from a bunch of flat-leaf parsley. Once again, since good fresh tomatoes cannot be found, I used grape tomatoes that I sliced in half. I followed the rest of the recipe and was rewarded with a great salad, one that fits nicely into my plans to go meatless one day a week.

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Roast Vegetable Salad with Harissa Recipe

Ingredients

3 tbsp harissa, divided – recipe found HERE
olive oil
1lb (450 g) butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 lb (450 g) carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
5 oz (142 g) green beans, trimmed and halved
5 oz (142 g) fresh baby spinach
1/2 preserved lemon, flesh removed and skin finely chopped
12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
.5 oz (15 g) fresh parsley leaves – cilantro/coriander leaves may be substituted, if you’re one of those

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Directions

Pre-heat oven to 365˚ F (185˚C)
In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp harissa with 2 tbsp olive oil.
Place squash and carrot chunks in a large bowl and pour harissa-oil mixture over it. Mix to evenly coat the vegetables.
Place on a baking sheet/dish, set on middle rack in oven, and bake until both types of vegetables can be easily pierced — 30 to 45 minutes. Remove and cool.
Meanwhile, blanch green beans in a small pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove and place in an ice water bath until needed.
In a large non-reactive pot, add green beans, spinach, preserved lemons, tomatoes, parsley, and the now-cooled roasted vegetables.
Combine remaining 2 tbsp harissa with 1 tbsp olive oil and use to dress the salad. Add more oil, if needed.
May be serve chilled or at room temperature.

From a recipe published in The Australian Women’s Weekly.

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Notes

How much oil you add will depend upon how thick your harissa is. Mine is rather thick, so, I add olive oil to make it easier to coat the vegetables and, later, to dress the salad.

In all, I tried this recipe three ways. One is as you see listed above. In another, I used baby arugula (rocket) in place of the spinach. I found the leaves weren’t strong enough to withstand the harissa dressing and wilted pretty quickly. The 3rd and last time was prepared without spinach and with half the amount of parsley. The result was a dish of roasted vegetables that make a perfect side for a roast. This version is definitely worth making again, perhaps adding additional root vegetables to the mix.

I’ve found that my recipe for harissa yields 2 cups of the sauce, far too much for most recipes. Using an ice cube tray, I freeze the excess, placing the frozen harissa cubes in plastic bags until needed.

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It’s déjà vu all over again …

It was about a year ago when I shared a favorite salad of my Grandpa, one simply made using canned tuna, anchovies, and sliced onion. I included my updated version, which used seared tuna over a bed of salad greens. Both are lighter fare and equally tasty. You can see them both and decide which is best for you by clicking HERE.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Pizza

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Try This One For Thighs

Posted on March 26, 2014 by ChgoJohn

119

Coscie di Pollo con Harissa

Little did I know when I used harissa to braise goat last October that I would become obsessed with the spicy sauce. Initially, I bought harissa from a Middle Eastern bakery that prepares the sauce on-site and provides it to a number of restaurants here in Chicago. Celia, though, suggested I make my own. Now, if you’ve been to her amazing blog, Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, you know that Celia makes just about everything and does so with a deft hand. Still, I was hesitant.

The truth is that many recipes say to use red or green chiles. Well, being a chile neophyte, I never know which ones to use and it’s not like there’s a big selection here. Then I came upon Mimi’s harissa recipe. (Take some time to get to know her blog, the Chef Mimi Blog, too, for some incredibly delicious recipes.) Her recipe took a different tack and I decided to give it a try.

Well, as luck would have it, when I went shopping for ingredients, there they were, a large display of red Fresno peppers. I bought a dozen, deciding I would take inspiration from both of their recipes, and since that afternoon, I’ve made several batches of harissa.

Over time, I’ve adjusted the spice mix to get to a flavor profile I prefer and now I’m working on the heat level. Right now, this sauce has a nice even heat when raw — there’s a roasted vegetable salad post in the works — but it dissipates a bit when cooked. Those with a higher tolerance for chiles may wish to include the peppers’ ribs and seeds, or, add another Habanero to the recipe below.

Like my harissa sauce, today’s chicken recipe is a work in progress, although I have prepared it in much the same manner 4 or 5 times now. In some ways, it reminds me of a cacciatore with a North African twist. I think you’ll find the recipe easy enough to follow without experiencing any problems.

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Chicken Thighs with Harissa

Ingredients

4 chicken thighs with skin and bones
3 tbsp harissa sauce – recipe follows
1/2 c chicken stock
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 orange bell pepper/capsicum, sliced
3 cloves garlic, sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
about 12 oz (340 g) olive salad (See Notes)
12 cherry tomatoes
1/2 preserved lemon, chopped
salt & pepper
lemon zest
mint leaves for garnish – optional

Directions

Combine harissa, cinnamon, and chicken stock in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan with a cover over med-high heat.
Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and add to frying pan, skin-side down. Sauté until brown, 6 to 8 minutes, before turning over and browning the other side. Remove thighs from the pan.
Remove all but 2 tbsp of fat from the pan. Add onions and peppers to the pan and sauté until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic for the final minute.
Add olive salad and harissa sauce mix, stir, and heat through.
Add thighs back to the pan, skin-side down, before adding the cherry tomatoes and preserved lemon. Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium.
After 15 minutes, turn over the thighs so that they’re skin-side up. Do not cover the pan, giving the sauce a chance to thicken while the chicken finishes cooking.
After the thighs have cooked for a total of 30 minutes, insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the largest thigh. When the temperature reaches 165˚ F (75˚ C) the thighs are done.
Remove to serving platter, sprinkle with lemon zest, and garnish with torn mint leaves, if desired.
Serve immediately.

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Someone forgot the mint leaves.

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Notes

I prefer to use a variety of olives here. Most of the groceries in this area offer olive salads, some even have more than 1 type. When they’re available, I’ll use the Mediterranean or Spanish olive salad. In today’s recipe, I combined both. Use whatever combination of olives you prefer and that are available. Use as little or as much as you like.

The chicken was served over tri-color “pearl” couscous that had been tossed with chopped scallions (spring onions) and sun-dried tomatoes.

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Harissa Recipe

yield: 2 cups

Ingredients

12 Fresno peppers, seeds removed
3 whole roasted red peppers — well-drained if store-bought
1 Habanero chile, seeds removed
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp whole cumin seed
1 tbsp whole coriander seed
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
10 garlic cloves, smashed
30 mint leaves, more or less to taste
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
water

Directions

Place cumin seeds in a small frying pan over med-high heat. Keep the pan moving and toast the seeds until uniformly brown and fragrant — no more than 2 minutes. Immediately remove from pan and reserve. Repeat with coriander seeds and then the caraway. Once all are cool, place in spice mill or mortar and grind. (See Notes)
Place the ground spices. Habanero and Fresno chiles, paprika, and salt into the bowl of a food processor and run until a thick paste has formed.
Add the mint leaves and pulse the contents until mixed.
Add the oil and process. If you prefer your harissa sauce to be thinner, add water until it reaches the consistency you like.
Harissa is ready to use as-is, though it will be better after a few days, once the flavors have a chance to blend a bit.

Refrigerate in an airtight container. Celia recommends adding a thin coat of olive oil before storing. Harissa should be used within a couple of weeks.

With special thanks to Celia, Fig Jam and Lime Cordial, and Mimi, Chef Mimi Blog

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Notes

It is best to toast seeds of varying sizes separately. When toasted together, the smallest seeds will likely burn while you wait for the larger ones to toast.

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It’s déjà vu all over again …

Today’s blast from the past, swordfish served with salsa verde, carries with it a message. See those grill marks, Old Man Winter? We want to start grilling but can’t so long as you stick around. Take the hint, vacate the North, and head to the Southern Hemisphere, where they eagerly await your cooler temps and much-needed rain. The rest of you can click HERE to learn how to prepare this dish.

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Coming soon to a monitor near you …

Pasta and Beans

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Braised Goat in the Moorish Style

Posted on October 2, 2013 by ChgoJohn

209

Capra Basata nello Stile di Moresco

I’m back and the Kitchens are once again open. Zia and I thank you all for your kind words and well wishes. She sends her warm regards. She, also, sent me home with a few new recipes — octopus and quail are at the top of that list — and I’ll be sharing them in the weeks to come.

Of course, we did buy our share of honey, over 4 gallons between the two of us. Although I brought home 2.25 gallons (8.5 l), almost all went to my neighbors for distribution among their family members. The “Honey Man”, Mr. Falkenberg, has about 100 hives and they produce enough honey for him to sell it in some of that area’s markets, as well as during not one but two weekends this year. He also sold apples, grapes, and black walnuts. I bought a 5 pound bucket of grapes for $2.00 and used them to make grape jelly yesterday. The apples were used to make apple sauce and my Zia Mariolla’s apple cake. That recipe will be shared in the near future.

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The Honey Man

Keeping him honest

18 pints of pure sweetness

(Click to enlarge any photo)

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I’ve mentioned in the past that my family prepared goat, very often at Easter. As the years past, we relied more upon lamb for that holiday meal and I cannot tell you the last time I enjoyed goat in any form. Worse yet, I had no idea where I might purchase some. Well, that all changed a few weeks ago. I didn’t realize it but the vendor at the farmers market from whom I buy organic chicken also sells a variety of meats, goat being among them. Although I couldn’t buy any at the time, I knew I’d be back to purchase some. And that’s the last I’ve seen of that vendor. For whatever reason, they are no longer at the farmers market. Not only did I lose my long sought-after source for fresh goat meat but I lost my organic chicken vendor, too.

Well, returning home after the third week of the vendor’s absence, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I pulled the car to the curb and googled, “Where to buy goat in Chicago?” Lo and behold! Just about a half-mile from my home, there’s a Middle Eastern grocery and butcher. It’s one block West of the Indian market where I buy spices and I’ve walked past it any number of times. Within minutes, I was on my way with a goat shoulder wrapped in brown paper.

Once home and after a quick web search, I settled upon a great recipe. Unfortunately, it required harissa and I didn’t have a recipe for the sauce nor did I feel like experimenting. So, I did what I often do. I went to the Middle East Bakery & Grocery, a little gem of a store located in my old neighborhood. As luck would have it, they make their own harissa on-site and it’s good enough to be used in a number of the restaurants in town.

So, with a goat shouder on the counter, harissa in-hand, and a jar of preserved lemons hiding out in the back of my fridge, I set about making braised goat — but with one major difference. The original recipe uses a dutch oven to braise the roast, slowly, in the oven. When I finally bought the meat, Summer had returned to this area with a vengeance, I wasn’t about to turn on my oven for anything, let alone a long and slow braise. Instead, I pulled out the slow cooker and my kitchen kept its cool. This is the version described in the recipe below.

Oh! One more thing. I will be bringing some goat with me to Michigan next time so that I can learn and share my family’s recipe for roasting it. Get ready, Zia!

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Goat in the Moorish Style Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup harissa for marinade
2 – 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 large onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
3 cilantro stems – that’s right, I’m using cilantro
2 cups low/no sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp honey
the rind from half of a preserved lemon, finely chopped
salt and pepper
harissa for serving
Greek yogurt for serving

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Directions

With a very sharp knife, remove gray skin from the meat. Season with salt & pepper.
Place meat in a large, seal-able plastic bag, add the harissa and completely coat the meat. Place the bag and contents in the fridge overnight. Turn bag over every couple of hours. Remove from fridge 1 hour before cooking is to begin.
Heat oil over med-high heat in a medium sauté pan. Add onions, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick, sautéing until soft and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, place stock, white wine, and honey in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil, and then keep warm over a very low flame.
Once the vegetables have been sautéed, dump that pan’s contents into the slow cooker. Add the cilantro and stir.
Place the goat meat atop the vegetables, Be sure to include any remaining harissa left in the bag.
Pour the wine mixture around the roast in the slow cooker. Cover and set to “Low”.
Turn the roast after 1 hour, and then again every 2 hours after. Roast will be cooked in 8 hours.
After 8 hours, remove roast to a dish and cover. Strain the pan juices, discarding the braising vegetables. Set aside to allow the fat to separate and then remove.
See Serving Suggestions below

Inspired by a recipe in the NY Times.

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Serving Suggestions

1) Once cooked, the roast can be carved and served as-is. Sprinkle with the preserved lemon. Suggested accompaniments would be rice, yogurt, and a bit of harissa on the side. The sauce can be reduced to the thickness of your choice. Check for seasoning before serving on the side.

2) Debone the cooked roast and treat it as you would pulled pork. Return in to the slow cooker. Add the preserved lemon and mix thoroughly. Reduce the sauce to the desired thickness and either add it to the pulled goat or serve on the side.

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Pulled Goat Sandwich on Baby Arugula with Greek Yogurt and Harissa

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It’s déjà vu all over again …

About a year ago, I posted a recipe for plum cobbler that I jokingly called “magical.” What I didn’t know, but learned while I was visiting Zia, was that the recipe contained a typo. Instead of listing “1 TBSP baking powder”, I had written “1 TSP baking powder.” Big difference, no? I’ve since corrected the recipe and please make sure you do the same if you’ve made a copy for yourself.