Chivo Guisado Picante (Spicy Goat Meat Stew)

What is Miami ? Is it the beach or ? it's surely got to be the cruise industry ... Or wait May be it's just cos every other cruise ship on the planet has it as it's home port !!!

But let me tell you this after like 6 contracts which is roughly 4 years in this industry I'd say Miami is a bit of Cuba a bit of Purteo Rico and a bit of everything which is all about Hispanic,which is all about Spanish culture and sentiments.

One often uses ingredients that are common to other countries, but less familiar in their home country, yet Miami is just an off the shore affair when it comes to Cuba,Haiti and the Dominica Republic,hence I chose to make myself comfortable to have lunch at one of the Restaurants at Bayside which had a bit of promise to those regions 

As I was dying to make a choice of what should I have? I startled at a platter which was passing me to the adjacent table, I put my neck out to the waiter who strolled past by and asked him what was it? He said GOAT, that to me was a bit of a surprise, as I had always presumed that Goat had not much of an influence in the American market compared to his cousin Lamb,as we all know lamb from Australia is no match to the goats of Cuba yet I was destined to find out whether it was just a myth! Or did the goat actually have it in him to be a delicacy by his own standards, I had grown up on goat meat more than lamb as goat in India is a common affair when it comes to biriyani's at marriages and other functions, not to forget the ones prepared by our Muslim neighbours had loads of magical elements which made them stand out of their own leagues.

As in New world cuisine Nowadays, goat has mostly vanished from Lowcountry cuisine. Despite a shared cultural history with the Caribbean islands, where goat remains among the most common meats in curries, jerks and other homespun preparations, this region has openly eschewed goat in favor of beef and pork.  

At Miami the odds were in favour of this domesticated ethical breed which packed tons of robust flavour at least for me, as the dish arrived it resembled that like if a delicacy in India called Roganjosh, which had a melodrama of spices cooked in tomato gravy and here it seems to be almost the same technique, except the spices used were totally of a different league,accompanied by rice and peas and fried plantain which was unique as well with respect to its shape.

In the Caribbean, goat meat is a popular choice, a special treat even. In the Dominican Republic the Northwestern region is well-known for its famous dish: Chivo guisado liniero, a spicy stew of tender and flavorful goat meat,and that is what I was chewing away.  

Chivo Picante or Chivo Liniero is a recipe original from the Northwest of the Dominican Republic, an area that, due to its arid terrain, has a large population of goats

Ingredients

• 4 lbs of goat meat cut into small pieces
• 2 limes or 1 bitter orange cut into halves
• 2 cubanela peppers
• 2 teaspoons of mashed garlic
• 1 teaspoons of powdered oregano
• 1 red onion cut into quarters
• 4 plum tomatoes cut into quarters
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh coriander
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste or 1 cup of tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon of oil
• ½ scotch bonnet pepper (or 2 jalapeños) finely chopped
• 1 tablespoons of sugar
• Salt

Instructions

1. Squeeze the juice of the limes (or bitter oranges on the meat). Scrub the meat and rinse with running water.
2. Mix the meat, oregano, onion, garlic, cubanela peppers, oregano and a teaspoon of salt. Marinate covered in the fridge for an hour, overnight is better.
3. Heat the oil in a deep-bottomed pot.
4. Add the sugar.
5. Separate the meat from the onions and peppers. Reserve the onions and peppers.
6. When the sugar turns brown add the meat.
7. Stir (being careful with splatters) until all the meat has a light brown color.
8. Add ½ cup of water. Cover and simmer over medium heat.
9. Adjust water until the meat is very tender (about 35 mins), turning every few minutes to cook uniformly.
10. Once the meat is tender add the onions, coriander, tomato, cubanela and Scotch bonnet peppers.
11. Cook over low heat until the vegetables are tender. Add tablespoons of water if it looks like it might burn.
12. Add the tomato paste (or sauce). Mix well.
13. Add a cup of water and simmer until liquid is reduced to a thin sauce. Add salt to taste.

Serve with rice and peas and  fried plantains,a glass of Cuba libre or Mojitto would do justice to this fine meal.