Stuffed Round Of Capretto, Black Bean Salsa
Capretto is baby goat meat, light on color and rich in flavor, and a real delicacy in the lands where it is most often found (Latin America and Italy). It's easier to find now that New Orleans has several good Latin American specialty stores. The black beans give this a great color contrast with the light baby goat meat. It's a Southwestern taste, and makes a terrific summertime dinner entree. It's better served warm, rather than hot off the stove.
- Sauce:
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- 2 Tbs. chopped onion
- 2 Tbs. chopped celery
- 1/4 cup chopped tomato
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3/4 cup black beans, washed and soaked overnight
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup sherry
- Stuffing
- 1/4 cup olive oil (not extra-virgin)
- 3 shallots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 mirliton, cooked and chopped
- 3 yellow squashes, chopped
- 1/4 tsp. Creole seasoning
- 1/2 lb. Monterey jack cheese, grated
- 3 lbs. baby goat round, sliced across the grain about 1/4 inch thick and pounded lightly
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- Vegetable oil
- Garnish:
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 6 sprigs cilantro, leaves only, chopped
- 2 oz. Mexican queso fresco or queso blanco, crumbled (or ricotta salata)
1. Make the sauce first. Cook all the vegetables except the beans in the olive oil until they're just barely tender. Add the beans, salt, and enough water to cover by about an inch. Simmer until the beans are tender--about two hours.
2. When the beans are tender enough to squash with thumb and forefinger, add the sherry. Then puree the mixture in a blender. Add a little water if necessary to give the beans a sauce consistency. Keep warm.
3. Now make the stuffing. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, cook the butter until bubbling and add shallots, garlic, mirliton, squash, and Creole seasoning. Cook until the vegetables soften. Cool to lukewarm, then add the cheese.
4. Place one-sixth of the stuffing atop a pounded slice of the capretto. Roll it up and secure with a toothpick running in the same direction as the seam of the meat.
5. Combine the salt and pepper with the flour. Dust the goat meat with the seasoned flour.
6. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet until it shimmers. Sear the rolled-up goat slices, turning every minute or so until lightly browned.
7. Allow the rolls to cool for about five minutes. Slice the rolls on an angle into three or four slices.
8. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the black bean sauce onto warmed plates. Top with the capretto rolls. Garnish with the green onions, cilantro, and crumbled cheese.
Serves six.
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