More Goat!

We stopped by Mr. Bledsoe’s stand again this week and bought some more goat, this time a rack. It was about the same size as a large rack of lamb, and because we wanted to taste the goat flavor, I seasoned it only with ground salt and pepper and olive oil. Tim cooked it on the grill, and we ate it medium rare, with no sauce or adornment. It was delicious! Next time we will try some seasonings—I think just about anything would work! And next time, I’ll take a picture.

More Recipes from A16

Last week I made the A16 cauliflower and potato recipe, which I had previously done with broccoli, and it turned out great. I used about a half pound each of potatoes and cauliflower, since I was only cooking for two. I love the way capers change character when they are fried. I think it looked attractive with a mix of red, white, and purple potatoes (all unpeeled), but a bit of parsley may have been a nice addition. I may make it again tonight, with red potatoes. Here's what you need for 6:

1 lb. yukon gold, red or purple potatoes (or a mix, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 head of cauliflower, separated into florets about the same size as the potatoes
1 red onion, sliced
1/2 tsp. dried chile flakes
1/4 cup anchovies, rinsed well
3 tsp. red wine vinegar
salt and ground pepper

Combine the potatoes in a bowl with 2 Tb. olive oil and about 1 tsp. salt. Toss well to coat and transfer to a baking sheet. Roast for about 35-40 minutes, until cooked through. Use the same bowl to coat the cauliflower in about 1/4 cup of olive oil with additional salt. Then brown them briefly in a large frying pan until lightly browned. Add them to the potatoes for the last 20 minutes of cooking.

In the remaining olive oil, fry the capers for about two minutes, until they become crispy. Stir in the pepper flakes and onion until the onion softens. Stir in the vinegar and remove from heat. When the potatoes and cauliflower are done, combine them with the onion mixture. Add additional seasoning or vinegar if needed, and serve hot or at room temperature.

Grilled Swordfish with Fennel and Tomato
The other night we tried another recipe from A16, this one for grilled swordfish. But if you’re not eating swordfish right now, this would work equally well another firm fish or with chicken or pork (or goat!). Unfortunately, I didn’t take a picture.

First season the swordfish with salt and pepper and coat it lightly with olive oil. The topping, which can be made ahead and reheated is a mixture of onion, fresh fennel and cherry tomatoes, seasoned with crushed whole allspice (a first for me in a savory dish) and fennel seeds. For a pound of swordfish you will need the following:

c cup olive oil or more
½ red or yellow onion, finely chopped
½ fennel bulb, finely chopped
½ tsp. crushed fennel seeds
2 or 3 whole allspice, coarsely crushed
½ pint cherry tomatoes (cut in half, if large)
2 Tb. red or white wine vinegar
Salt and ground pepper, to taste

Sauté the onion fennel, fennel seeds and allspice in 2 Tb. of the olive oil for 7-8 minutes over low heat until the vegetables are softened, but not browned. Raise the heat and add the vinegar and cook until it has evaporated. Add the tomatoes, season, and cook for another 3-4 minutes until the tomatoes skins begin to split and the tomatoes release their juices. Set aside until ready to use; this sauce may be served hot or at room temperature.

Goat!

As I was walking through the farmer's market last Saturday, I noticed that Mr. Bledsoe, the pork and lamb guy, had goat advertised on his board, so I bought a package--a bit less than two pounds. It was cut up as stew meat, with some small bones, so I decided to use the recipe in my new A16 cookbook. The recipe was very simple, the result was quite delicious, and it did not even require browning the meat first! I used mixed cherry tomatoes and regular canned ones (for some extra juice), but otherwise followed the recipe pretty closely. If you can find some goat, I'd highly recommend this preparation; we served it with a faro pilaf.

Greek Baked Vegetables

I enjoyed the article in the NY Times food section this week that had several variations on ratatouille. I had already made a “layered” ratatouille a couple of weeks ago, with grilled eggplant and squash, more or less based on a Chez Panisse recipe, and a “Layered Vegetable Torte,” also from the Times, cooked in a spring-form pan and then unmolded was terrific too.

Last night, however, I tried one of the new recipes from the Times—a Greek Briam. I couldn’t resist altering it somewhat, and it turned out great—and is quite a bit easier than a traditional ratatouille, since the vegetables don’t all have to be browned. Here’s the recipe, as I made it; it would serve four as a main course and 6 or more as a side dish.

1 small eggplant, halved lengthwise and then sliced ¼ inch thick.
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large garlic clove finely chopped
½ pound red potatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
½ pound summer squash, sliced ¼ inch thick
1 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste
10-12 ounces tomatoes, chopped, or a 16-ounce can, drained
Salt & freshly ground pepper
¼ pound sliced mushrooms
2-3 Tb. chopped flat-leaf parsley
2Tb. chopped marjoram or oregano, or 1 tsp. dried.

1. Sprinkle the eggplant with salt and put on paper towels for 30 minutes. Thinly slice the onions, peppers, and mushrooms and chop the garlic. Cut the potatoes and squash into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Squeeze excess water from eggplant and pat dry.
2. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add the onions. Cook until tender and translucent, about 6-8 minutes. Add a salt and pepper, then stir in the garlic, peppers and mushrooms. Cook for another minute or two, until mushrooms are lightly browned and peppers begin to soften. Sprinkle herbs on top of mixture, reserving about 1 Tb for the top.
3. Lightly oil an earthenware baking dish or a Dutch oven. Put the tomatoes in a bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Stir 2 Tb. of olive oil. Spread a thin layer of tomatoes in the baking dish or Dutch oven and top with one-third of the onion mixture. Top with half the potato slices. Layer half the zucchini slices over the potatoes, then layer on half the eggplant. Season with salt and pepper between layers. Layer another third of the onions over the vegetables and top with half of the remaining tomatoes. Repeat the layers with the remaining vegetables, ending with a layer of the onion mixture topped with the remaining tomatoes. Sprinkle the top with any remaining herbs. Pour any juice from the tomatoes over the mixture and add additional olive oil, if desired.
4. Cover with foil or a lid and bake for 1 hour. Press the vegetables down into the juice and bake another 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are thoroughly tender. Let stand for ten minutes or cool until warm before serving, or refrigerate overnight and reheat