Medieval Goat

“She brought back a haunch of goat and a basket of fruits and vegetables.  Jhiqui roasted the meat with sweetgrass and firepods, basting it with honey as it cooked…”  -A Storm of Swords

Modern Goat

Thoughts:

The argument was fierce over which of these dishes was better.   Although different, both were very good.  The metal skewers allowed the meat to cook perfectly so it was very tender, leaving all judgment hanging on the marinade.

The medieval goat dish was succulent and flavorful.    The garlic, salt, and pepper are a tried and true combination, and one that in this case really complimented the slight gaminess of the goat.  While it was tasty, it struck several of us as generically medieval (if such a thing is even possible).  This dish seemed more appropriate to the clansmen in the Mountains of the Moon than the nomadic Dothraki.

In contrast, the modern dish made me feel like a princess on the plains of Vaes Dothrak.  I could practically smell the sweat of horses and feel the wind blowing through grass tents.  This dish had an exotic feel that was lacking in the medieval version, and that, for me, made the difference.  The complexity of the ingredients, and the interplay of sweet, tart, savory and spicy is lovely, and I found myself tempted to lick the plate at the end of the meal.

Bottom line?  Medieval if you want medieval, Modern if you want Dothraki.

Note: These recipes are predominantly for the meat marinade.  They would be delicious on any number of meats, including goat.  We took our goat, let it marinate, then arranged it on metal skewers.  We then stuck it under the oven broiler for a few minutes, turning midway through.

Medieval Goat Marinade

Original recipe from The Andalusian Cookbook/A Collection of Medieval and Renaissance Cookbooks Vol. II, David Freidman:

Recipe for a Pot-Grill*, Good for the Old, the Delicate of Body and for Weak Stomachs. Take young fat meat, cut it small in a clean pot with a little salt, pepper, thyme, a little murri nagi, 2 cloves of garlic, and what oil is wanting. Place it in on a moderate fire and stir it until it is done and spent.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Goat meat, cubed
• 2 T Oil
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. Byzantine murri naqi (or soy sauce!)
• 2 cloves Garlic, mashed to a paste
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

On stovetop, mix ingredients to together until garlic begins to brown. Marinate the goat meat and let sit for 1 to 2 hr. Thread meat on skewers and grill over charcoal or roast until done.

Modern Goat Marinade

Ingredients

• 1 lb. goat meat, cubed
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 4 dried pepper pods, medium heat,
• 1/4 cup tart cherry juice (available in the quirky foods/ethnic section of many stores)
• 1 tbs. tomato paste
• small handful raisins
• 1-2 tbs. honey
• 1 tbs. chopped lemongrass stalk

Heat oil on stovetop.  Add the cherry juice, tomato paste, raisins and the pepper pods, then stir gently.  The peppers will start to soften and release their seeds, and the sauce will start to reduce slightly.  Stir in the honey, and remove from heat.  Give the marinade a taste at this point, and add more pepper if desired.  Marinate the goat meat at least an hour (keep the peppers) then thread onto skewers.  Grill or roast accordingly, then garnish with the chopped lemon grass and peppers before serving.