Gameday recipes worthy of the “Greatest of All Time” title
There’s a new kid in Tailgate Town, and it will make you the GOAT of gameday. In all seriousness, a recent stroll through the farmers market with two chefs while sampling their goat dishes—meatballs and street-style tacos—stopped me in my tracks. Full disclosure, I veer away from goat on a restaurant menu. Now, I am converted. I tinkered with these flavors in my mind and the potential for making them al fresco. Thinking ahead to football season, I asked for the recipes.
My penchant for eating local aligns. Most trips to the farmers market have me parked in front of the Circle M Farms booth, also known as Southern Maids Goat Dairy, where you can find samples of whipped goat feta topped with a swirl of infused olive oil and a sprinkle of spice with a basket of crackers for dipping. This is a perfect anytime snack, and it is gameday approved. I pick up a dozen eggs, a block of feta in brine, and, depending on my weekend plans, maybe some of the whipped feta or the olive oil-marinated feta cubes. Set this out at your party with toothpicks, and it is ready for the hungry hordes while you are busy making kitchen magic. What I did not know until sampling the meatballs and tiny tacos was that Circle M Farms also sells goat meat. Now, I realize I have been missing out.
Another confession: Until I moved to Baton Rouge nine years ago, I had limited experience with the phenomenon of gameday festivities in parking lots and every patch of grass on campus. Witnessing Tiger fans roll in and pop up their tents and outdoor kitchens as the sun rises on Saturdays is a testament to their LSU loyalty and commitment to cooking up a good time.
I can imagine delicious-smelling curls of smoke catching the attention of neighbors or passersby as cubes of goat braise in rich chili broth become fall-apart tender. The meatballs can be mixed and shaped ahead to minimize mess, then cooked on site. Both of these flourish with a sprinkle of goat feta and a dollop of spicy avocado cream, which also makes a great dip for fresh veggies.
There is likely a mixologist out there who would craft a cocktail with goat milk, so you could wash all these delicacies down with a goat milk punch to cover all the bases. Cold beverages from the ice chest might be a better pairing. Of course, if you want something sweet, Circle M Farms has that covered, too. One forkful of the shop’s cheesecake will knock your purple and gold socks off.
I’m counting down to kickoff. Hope to see you in Touchdown Village!
Chile-Braised Goat Tacos
A touch of smokiness from canned fire-roasted tomatoes, smoked salt and chipotle powder gives the illusion of grilled meat. I opted to simplify here with pure chile powders instead of toasting and soaking whole dried chiles. Thanks to Nick Bennett, Nutrition Education Manager at Red Stick Farmers Market, for the inspiration.
1 lb. boneless cubed goat meat
2 Tbsp. ancho chile powder
1 Tbsp. guajillo chile powder
½ tsp. chipotle powder, or more to taste
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 (14 ½-oz.) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, plus more if needed
1 tsp. smoked salt, plus more to taste
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated on the small holes of a cheese grater
Small corn tortillas for serving
Optional garnish: lime wedges, pickled red onion, jalapeno slices, crumbled goat feta, Avocado Cream (recipe follows)
Place cubed goat meat into a gallon-sized, zip-top bag. Combine ancho, guajillo and chipotle chile powders with cumin in a small bowl. Stir with a fork to blend, then sprinkle into bag with goat meat. Gently squeeze bag to coat meat and zip bag closed evenly. Refrigerate for a few hours or up to overnight.
Heat oil in a medium-sized Dutch oven (about 4-qt. size) over medium heat and cook seasoned goat cubes in a single layer, turning to brown on all sides. Push meat to sides of pot. Add onion into center, then stir and cook until softened and just starting to brown. Add garlic and stir just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, 1 cup stock, smoked salt and grated carrot. Stir to coat goat with tomato. Bring
to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until goat cubes are fork-tender and falling apart, about 3 hours. Keep an eye on things throughout since camp stoves are all different. You want the goat covered in the sauce during the cooking process. When it is tender, shred with 2 sturdy forks right in the pot. If you prefer a thicker sauce, reduce with the lid off. If at any time the sauce gets too thick, add about a half cup of stock or even a splash of beer.
Add more chipotle powder and smoked salt to season to taste.
Serve shreds of goat, coated with sauce, on warmed corn tortillas with your choice of toppings.
Makes 6-8 servings.
Avocado Cream
Blending ripe avocado with yogurt, lime juice, fresh jalapeno and cilantro makes
a delightful dip for veggies and a perfect tangy topping for the tacos and meatballs. Covering it with a thin layer of olive oil keeps it from discoloring. Make this at home and pack in an airtight, quart-sized container. It keeps for up to 3 days when refrigerated.
2 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
Zest and juice of 1 lime (or 2 if the lime isn’t juicy)
1 medium jalapeño pepper, coarsely chopped
Handful of rinsed and dried cilantro leaves and tender stems
½ tsp. coarse salt Drizzle of olive oil
Place all ingredients except olive oil in work bowl of food processor and blend until completely smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust as desired (more lime/salt/ jalapeño). Transfer to an airtight container, filling the top with olive oil before covering. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Makes about 3 cups.
Goat Meatballs
Mix and shape these in the comfort of your kitchen up to 2 days in advance of cooking. Chill to firm them up, then transfer to a container for the ice chest on gameday. Scott Higgins at Red Stick Farmers Market shared his recipe, which I tweaked with his permission.
1 lb. ground goat meat
½ cup panko bread crumbs
1⁄3 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. black pepper
Crumble raw ground goat meat into a large bowl. Sprinkle in panko and add yogurt, Parmesan, beaten egg, salt, red pepper flakes, thyme, and black pepper. Mix gently to combine. Divide into small portions and roll into balls to make 36.
Cook in batches in a large skillet over medium heat, turning to brown all sides. Once browned, continue cooking until firm and cooked through center.
Alternatively, place on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet and cook on grill until cooked through. Serve with a dollop of avocado cream.
Makes 36 bite-sized meatballs.
