a mediterranean goat dinner with friends

i had never eaten goat before.  honestly, given my fondness for goats, i didn't know that i would be brave enough to actually eat one!  but, our wonderful csa, moore farms and friends, just started selling goat meat from 7b bar ranch in roopville, georgia.  oh my goodness...it was so good!  it cooks very similarly to lamb, but the flavor is incredibly mild, yet succulent.  if you can get your hands on some locally raised, organic goat meat- go for it!  i promise that you will be in for a real treat.  here is how we prepared our mediterranean-influenced goat dinner: wash, trim and chop 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, 1 purple topped turnip, and one small potato into bite-sized chunks.  place on a foil lined (for ease of cleaning) baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt.  bake in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes to one hour.

make two "pans" out of foil.  sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chops (we had 8 small chops) and place in the "pans," distributing evenly.   place several sprigs of rosemary in and around the chops so the flavor will infuse into the meat during cooking.  next, slice several small (sweet) peppers in half and remove the seeds.  place the peppers into both "pans," again, distributing evenly.  carry the "pans" out to the grill and grill over low heat, turning once, for about 40 minutes.

while the root vegetables and goat chops are cooking, it's time to make the mediterranean side/sauce.  heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  when hot, add 2-3 large minced garlic cloves and 1 small chopped onion.  cook until onion is tender, then add about 2 cups of fresh diced tomatoes.   drain 1 jar of pitted kalamata olives and add them to the skillet.  next, add 1 cup of red wine, turning the heat up to high so it will reduce.  when the wine has reduced, remove skillet from the heat and stir in 1 cup of fat-free plain greek yogurt.

if you'd like, prepare a salad (we got 2 large bunches of yummy lettuce from our csa) and dress with a dressing of your choice- we used pear champagne vinaigrette to add a touch of sweetness to our meal.  we also had yummy bread with our dinner.  as you can see, we had an abundance of food...a goat feast!  the salad and bread are nice touches, but certainly not a necessity to make this meal fantastic.

when plating, place the goat chops on the plate and scoop a large spoonful of the mediterranean side/sauce right next to the chops, allowing it to overlap a bit.  the goat is incredibily tasty with this mixture.

this recipe is featured on foodrenegade: fight back fridays!  check it out.