THE SPICE TRADE
Serves 6
This course is a beautiful, elegant presentation. Spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, peppercorns, cumin, mustard seed, and star anise are showcased in a shadowbox. On the top of the spices are several preparations of goat. Fragrant curry-smoked goat belly with sweet golden raisin chutney and a cumin-crusted seared goat loin show off the sweet, juicy flavor of the meat and the richness of the spices. Homemade goat butter and roasted eggplant puree provide earthiness and balance to an otherwise spice-forward dish. The traditional preparations play nicely against the modern feel of the shadowbox; it’s like classical history and modern art brought together.
PRESERVED LEMON:
1 lemon
100 grams salt
100 grams sugar
25 grams fresh lemon juice
GRILLED GOAT LEG:
50 grams paprika
25 grams garlic powder
25 grams onion powder
15 grams olive oil
1 gram salt
200 grams goat leg
SMOKED GOAT BELLY:
100 grams goat belly
30 grams curry powder
1 gram salt
BRAISED GOAT SHOULDER:
200 grams goat shoulder
300 grams goat milk
2.5 grams salt
CUMIN TUILE:
65 grams all-purpose flour
25 grams sugar
7 grams cumin seeds, toasted and finely ground
0.5 gram salt
60 grams egg whites
110 grams unsalted butter, melted
GRILLED EGGPLANT PUREE:
100 grams eggplant
0.5 gram salt, plus more for salting the eggplant
50 grams olive oil
RED PEPPER SAUCE:
20 grams Marcona almonds
100 grams red bell pepper
40 grams olive oil
GOLDEN RAISIN CHUTNEY:
75 grams golden raisins
25 grams simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
8 grams mint, cut into chiffonade
GOAT BUTTER:
100 grams heavy cream
100 grams goat milk
1 gram salt
SEARED GOAT LOIN:
200 grams goat loin
30 grams ground cumin
2 grams salt
10 grams vegetable oil
20 grams unsalted butter
TO FINISH:
Cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, peppercorns, whole star anise, paprika, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, and/or any spices on hand
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
Butcher’s twine
Smoker
Applewood chips
Six 17-by-11-inch shadowbox plates
PRESERVED LEMON:
Split the lemon three-quarters of the way down, cutting it into vertical quarters. Put the salt and sugar in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Put the lemon in a small mason jar, wedging it snugly into the jar. Cover with the salt and sugar mixture and then pour in the lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for 2 weeks. The lemons will become translucent.
After 2 weeks remove the lemon from the jar and rinse under cold water. Remove any seeds and slice thin. Reserve until ready to serve.
GRILLED GOAT LEG:
Put the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, olive oil, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Put the goat leg in a large zipper-lock bag and add the marinade. Press as much air as possible out of the bag and seal it. Turn the bag a few times to coat the leg in the marinade. Set the bag on a plate and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours.
Preheat a grill or set a grill pan over high heat.
Remove the goat leg from the marinade, pat dry with paper towels, and grill to medium rare. Remove from the heat and let the goat rest for 10 minutes, flipping the leg every 2 minutes to redistribute the juices to the center. Slice into 6 pieces and keep warm until ready to serve.
SMOKED GOAT BELLY:
Combine the curry and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Season both sides of the goat belly with the curry powder. Roll the belly into a log and tie it up with 5 pieces of butcher’s twine. Put the belly in a smoker set at 200°F and smoke with applewood chips for 3 hours, until tender.
Remove the belly from the smoker and let rest for 1 hour. Cut 18 slices from the belly and keep warm until ready to serve.
BRAISED GOAT SHOULDER:
Place the goat shoulder, milk, and salt in a saucepot just big enough to fit the shoulder and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot with aluminum foil and braise for 2 hours, until tender.
Remove from the heat and let cool for 30 minutes. Remove the goat from the milk and pull the meat from the bones, shredding it with your fingers. Put the meat back into the braising liquid and keep warm until ready to serve.
CUMIN TUILE:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Combine the flour, sugar, cumin, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the egg whites and whisk until smooth. Slowly pour the melted butter into the mixture and whisk to combine. Line a sheet pan with a silicone mat. Spread the tuile batter on the mat in an even layer approximately ¼ inch thick. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown and set. Remove from the
oven and cool completely. Use an offset spatula to lift the Cumin Tuile off the mat and then break it into random chunks. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
GRILLED EGGPLANT PUREE:
Cut the eggplant in half and cut a crosshatch pattern, approximately ¼ inch deep, on the inside of the eggplant. Season with salt and let it sit in a colander for 1 hour to drain.
Preheat a grill or set a grill pan over medium heat.
Press the eggplant to remove any remaining liquid. Grill the eggplant flesh over medium heat, cut side down, for 10 minutes, until the eggplant is soft and a little charred. Remove from the grill and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, discarding the skin. Place the cooked eggplant in a blender and add the olive oil and 0.5 gram salt. Puree on high for 1 minute, until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve and keep warm in a small pot until ready to serve.
RED PEPPER SAUCE:
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Spread the almonds out on a sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
Put the red bell pepper on a meat fork and hold it over a flame or hot grill to roast, turning it to char all four sides. Once the pepper is charred, put it in a bowl, cover with a plate or pot lid, and let it steam for 5 minutes. Run the pepper under cold running water to rinse off the charred skin. Remove the seeds and stem and put the red pepper meat in a blender with the olive oil and almonds. Puree for 1 minute or until smooth. Transfer to a container and cool to room temperature before using.
GOLDEN RAISIN CHUTNEY:
Put the golden raisins and simple syrup in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the raisins plump and grow tender. Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest and mint. Let cool to room temperature and reserve in a covered container until ready to serve.
GOAT BUTTER:
Put the heavy cream, goat milk, and salt in a food processor. Process the milks for 3 minutes or until they break and butter granules form. Line a strainer with damp cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Pour the butter and whey through the cheesecloth and let it rest in the strainer in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Lift the cheesecloth up around the butter and squeeze gently to release any remaining whey. Store the goat butter in a covered container until ready to serve.
SEARED GOAT LOIN:
Dust the goat loin with the ground cumin and salt. Put the oil in a medium sauté pan set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, sear the goat loin for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Add the butter to the pan and use a large spoon to baste the loin for 30 seconds. Transfer the loin to a plate and let it rest for 2 minutes. Slice the loin into 6 pieces.
TO FINISH:
Fill the frames of six 17-by-11-inch shadowbox plates with whole cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, star anise, paprika, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, and/or any other spices on hand. Place the glass plate on top. Spoon 30 grams of the Grilled Eggplant Puree on each plate and drag the tip of the spoon through it in a straight line to create a swoosh. Put 10 grams of Golden Raisin Chutney on each plate and top it with 3 slices of Smoked Goat Belly. Put 10 grams of Red Pepper Sauce next to the Smoked Goat Belly and top it with a piece of the Grilled Goat Leg. Put a piece of the Seared Goat Loin next to the leg and top with Goat Butter and a Preserved Lemon slice. To finish, put 10 grams Braised Goat Shoulder on the plate. Serve immediately.
