West Indian Goat Curry

Family Meal, Rewarms Well

For several years, each July I visited the island of Anguilla to participate in a food and wine event. Anguilla, which is in the British West Indies, is a small, mostly barren island with little fresh water and minimal agriculture, but there are enough bushes and scrawny trees to support the wandering goats that populate the island. Occasionally some of the goats make it into one of the few island specialties, goat soup. Goat soup is actually more of a soupy curry than a soup. Many of the Caribbean islands have their own versions of goat curry that have been influenced by the strong migration of East Indians who now populate these islands. Goat curry is served over rice and is usually accompanied by fried plantains and a bottle of very spicy homemade hot sauce.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds boneless goat shoulder, cut into 1½-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (I use Muir Glen fire-roasted)
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar, plus more to taste
• Salt
• Fresh lime juice
• Fresh cilantro leaves (from above)
• Cooked rice

CARIBBEAN CURRY PASTE:

• 1 large bunch fresh cilantro (about ½ pound), stems and leaves separated, leaves reserved for the curry
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 or more serrano chiles or other spicy green chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons Bruce’s Curry Powder ([>])
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons ground annatto seeds (achiote; see Sources) or sweet Hungarian paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Paste: Coarsely chop the cilantro stems and add to a blender, along with the remaining ingredients except for the coconut milk. Pour in about ¼ cup of the coconut milk and blend to form a soft paste. If it is dry, add more coconut milk; set aside the rest of the coconut milk.
2. Place the meat in a bowl and pour over the paste. Massage the paste into the meat until all the pieces of meat are well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, until softened. Scrape in the meat and all the paste. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes, brown sugar, and the remaining coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hour. Test a piece of meat to see if it is tender. If not, cook until it is, checking every 20 minutes or so.
4. Degrease the surface of the curry. If the sauce is thin, boil to reduce the liquid and concentrate the flavors, but leave it soupy. Coarsely chop the cilantro leaves and stir half of them into the curry. Taste and add more salt, brown sugar, and/or lime juice. Serve the curry in shallow bowls over rice, garnished with the remaining cilantro leaves.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS:

• Boneless beef chuck or lamb shoulder. Goat or lamb shanks or neck (increase the cooking time to 3 hours, or until the meat is falling off the bone). Or, if you want to be authentic, use goat ribs and let guests pick through the bones as they eat.

COOK’S NOTE:

• During the last 20 minutes of cooking, you can add 2 cups diced (1-inch) sweet potatoes to the curry.
• This curry is nice served with Green Papaya Salad.