Braised baby goat pithiviers (Posh Pies)

If you are a meat lover you should consider eating more goat meat. Did you know goat has more protein than beef, it’s lean and lower in fat than chicken and contains lower calories than beef chicken and pork. And that’s why it has become of my favourite meats. On my last visit to Princi Butchers in North Perth I was able to buy some marinated baby goat on the bone and could not resist getting some to prepare this recipe which I adapted from Chef Ashley Martin’s recipe for goat pithiviers as seen in SBS TV.

Ingredients – 16 portions

1 kg marinated baby goat meat on the bone
2 diced onions
2 celery sticks diced
1 carrot diced
2 garlic cloves crushed
Sprig of thyme

Bay leaf

800 gms crushed tomato

200 ml dry white wine (Galafrey Sauvignon Blanc)
2 cups chicken stock or water (as needed)
 olive oil salt and pepper
6 sheets Pampas puff pastry
1 egg separated. (White for sealing pastry. Yolk for glazing pastry.)

Nigella seeds - optional

Preparing the ragu

Heat some olive oil in a heavy based casserole. Sear several portions of goat meat at a time without over crowding the pan. Cook each until brown then set aside in another container.

Add another dash of olive oil to the heavy based casserole and then add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Cook this till it begins to soften. Then add the dry white wine and cook for 5 minutes allowing the wine to reduce by half.

Return the goat meat to the vegetables and add the crushed tomato ensuring everything is evenly mixed and covered. If necessary add enough stock or water to cover the mixture. Season it to taste. Cover the liquid with baking paper and place a lid on the casserole.

Cook slowly for about 2 hours making sure the mixture is covered in liquid at all times.

Allow to cool and remove all the meat portions from the casserole. Remove the meat from the bone and dice into 1-2 cm pieces and return it to the casserole. There should be sufficient liquid to cover the meat by 1-2 cm. If there is too much liquid it can be skimmed and used later as a reduction to serve as a sauce for the pithiviers.

Cool the casserole and place it in the fridge overnight. The next day the casserole (pie filing) will be set in its own jelly ready for filling the pithiviers.

Making the pithiviers

Using an 11 cm round pastry cutter, cut out 36 rounds in the puff pastry. Spoon 50g of the cool goat and vegetable mix in the center of the pastry circles (use a 9cm ring to center and support the mixture).  For the pastry tops you can make a few 1 cm cuts in the centre of each top to allow for steam to escape. Brush the edge of the circle of each top with the egg white and place this side on top of the goat mix and press around the edges on the pastry with a fork.

Brush the pithiviers with the egg yolk and bake in a hot over for approx 30 minutes. I sprinkled nigella seeds on the tops.

Serve with the sauce made from any leftover liquid or tomato ketchup.

Banana and Walnut Bread

Bananas are in season at the moment and as we had a few over ripe ones in the fruit bowl so I decided to make a healthy version of banana bread. Bananas one of natures best nutritional power-packs, they are a good source of fibre, high in potassium, low in salt which helps keep the blood pressure down. They also contain vitamin B and C and they are  fairly low on the GI index so no high sugar spikes. By adding wholewmeal flour and walnuts to the mix you have the extra benefit of more fibre and omega 3 fatty acid in the recipe which is good for the digestion and a healthy heart. This recipe will provide 10 to 12 slices of banana bread which if not consumed in one sitting  can be frozen to be enjoyed later in the lunch box or afternoon snacks.





Recipe
2 cups wholemeal self raising flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
100 gms chopped walnuts
2 eggs beated
1 cup low fat or skim milk
3 ripe bananas
1 tsp bi-carb soda
pinch sea salt

Pre heat a fan forced oven to 180 C.
Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Mash the bananas in a separate bowl and combine with the beaten eggs and milk.

Fold in the wet ingredients with the dry ensuring they are evenly mixed. Add the mixture into a prepared loaf tin lined with baking paper. Bake for 45 minutes or until until a skewer is inserted into the middle comes out clean. When baked remove the loaf from the tin and allow it to cool on a rack for several minutes before slicing. Enjoy your healthy bread in moderation with a cuppa with a friend.