Dinner: Saturday, May 29, 2010

• Grilled goat kibbe with yogurt sauce and lavosh
• Toasted bulgar pilaf
• Carrot salad with Honey, Cumin and Cilantro

Have I mentioned how much we like goat? When I phoned Deck Family farm to arrange picking up the second half of our CSA meat box a few weeks ago, I was asked if there was something I would be willing to substitute for lamb, since they were very low. No problem! Gimme some goat! It's generally leaner than lamb and surprisingly I find it less gamey rather than more, which is what I would have expected. We've even discussed buying an entire goat side.

So when I saw this menu in Mix magazine this month, I knew it was in our future, especially since on my last Uwajamiya run I picked up a bottle of pomegranate molasses. I had to make an adjustment, though, because the "goat stew" wasn't skewerable cubes, but rather small gobbets of fatty meat. I don't know how in the hell one would make stew from such a thing. Nevermind...I decided to just marinate the gobbets and then I would grind them up and form them into little sausages. Mario felt I should have gotten the meat a little finer, and after several bites, I concurred. The sauce is goat milk yogurt with mint and parsley, salt and cayenne. All in all, tasty, although I have to say I think this recipe is superior:

Skewered Kefta

From Weight Watchers New International Cookbook, ©1985

• 10 oz. ground lamb (try goat!)
• 2 Tbs minced onion
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
• 1Tbs chopped fresh mint or 1-1/2 tsp dried (I usually used dried)
• 1/4 tsp each ground cumin, ground marjoram, salt and pepper
• 2 tsps olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp paprika

Combine first seven ingredients (through salt and pepper); mix well. Divide mixture into four equal portions. Form each portion into a sausage shape, pressing each onto a metal or bamboo skewer. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients; using a pastry brush, brush mixture over keftas, coating all sides. Grill or broil, turning so that all sides are browned, about 8 minutes total.

The carrot salad was ok. A little sweet for my taste. Here's a better one.

The pilaf was a revelation. I would never have thought to roast the bulgur in a dry skillet before cooking. I let it get nicely browned. It added a whole new dimension. The rest of the recipe is pretty standard, though I liked the addition of green onions at the end.

Rachel's friend, Sarah, was sleeping over and had the "Sarah Special" AKA 1/2 a grilled cheese sandwich and 1/2 PB&J.