Chef notes
This stew features a wonderfully fragrant savory spice mix. It works amazing well as a rub for goat meat and gamey cuts (or, by 360-degree contrast, it's also an a amazing spice blend for use in baking).
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ground cubeb pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground or freshly grated calabash nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 medium onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 (2-inch) piece ginger
- 1½ pounds ripe plum tomatoes or 1 (14-ounce) can plum tomatoes
- 4 fresh serrano chiles
- 1 green bell pepper
- rapeseed or vegetable oil
- 1 pound higher-welfare boneless goat shoulder, cubed
- salt
- 1 tablespoon Ghanaian Five-Spice Mix (recipe above)
- 1 Scotch bonnet chile (optional)
- coarse black pepper
- 2/3 cup organic bone broth or beef stock
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 3 sprigs cilantro
Preparation
For the Ghanaian Five-Spice Mix:
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Store in an airtight container. Will keep for a few months.
For the stew:
1.Peel and chop the onion, then peel and finely grate the garlic and ginger (keep them separate). Dice the fresh tomatoes or drain and dice the tinned tomatoes, reserving the juice. Quarter the serrano chiles lengthways, then finely slice the pepper.
2.Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium-high heat. Season the meat with salts and Ghanaian Five-Spice Mix, then brown the goat all over, stirring regularly. Remove to a bowl with the juices.
3.Return the pan to a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of oil, the onion and garlic. Fry for about 4 minutes, or until softened and starting to caramelize.
4.Add the fresh or tinned tomatoes and cook until they're almost completely broken down, stirring often, about 25 minutes.
5.Pierce and add the Scotch bonnet (piercing it will gently draw out the heat as the stew cooks without overpowering it).
6.Add 1/4 cup of water or stock to loosen, if needed, then season with a pinch of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of coarse black pepper. Stir in the serrano chiles and pepper and cook for several minutes.
7.Add any reserved tomato juices and the stock, then return the browned goat to the pan with its juices. Stir well.
8.Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours, or until the goat is almost falling apart.
9.Finally add the spinach to wilt and cook for about 5-8 minutes. Discard the Scotch bonnets, check the seasoning, then chop and scatter over the coriander leaves. Serve on its own or with plain basmati rice.
Reprinted from Zoe's Ghana Kitchen by Zoe Adjonyoh, published by Mitchell Beazley. Copyright © 2017.
