Braised Kid Shank with Chorizo and Chickpeas was the first recipe that I tested out from GOAT (the Goat Cookbook) by James Whetlor.

Without even drawing down into the details of the cooking part (which I will do below) I think we can agree this is a pretty awesome looking plate of food just from looking at the photo of the finished plateful above 🙂

I had read through the whole book and wanted to try so many of the meals that he writes about but when it came down to deciding which one to try, it was all about what cuts of Goat Meat I could find from the lady from Black Goat Farm in the West Bridgford Farmers Market on that weekend.

There were a couple of shanks on her table and that then led to picking this one out, which was a ‘no brainer’ for me as I do love Chorizo and Chickpeas! I was hoping that this was going to be a bit of a match made in heaven on the plate.

BRAISED KID SHANK IN THE SLOW COOKER

The official recipe had several steps where you should firstly cook the chickpeas with celery, onion, garlic, carrot and a bayleaf in a pan, then secondly brown off the shanks with some cooking chorizo.

I did kind of try to follow that part bit really I ended up bunging the shanks into the slow cooker together with celery, onion, garlic, carrot, a tin of tomatoes, a glass of white wine, and some chicken stock (just enough so the liquid covers the shanks).

Then basically I left it to cook in the slow cooker until the meat started to fall off the shanks. Then that is when I added the chickpeas. I found that depending on how crunchy you want them will depend on when to add them. Like them soft? then chuck them in at the start, a bit crunchier? or if out of a tin, then put then in as you near the end of the cooking.

BRAISED KID SHANK WITH CHICKPEAS

I did really love cooking and eating this meal as it was a long way away from the Goat Curry that I often end up making. The Goat meat fell off the shank really easily and unlike a lamb shank it is a lot less fatty so has a much more of a meaty flavour. The crispy chorizo slices and the crunchy chickpeas add a lot more texture to the bowl as you eat your way through it.

The gravy is quite thin and delicate, perhaps a little sweet from the tomatoes and garlic, yet easy enough on the palate so that you can enjoy all the flavours in the mix. What I like the most was that nothing overwhelmed and nothing overpowered so it was all very harmonious.

BRAISED KID GOAT SHANK WITH CHORIZO AND CHICKPEA

This dish is a really great way to use up a Goat Shank, adding in a bit of lightly wilted Kale as a side dish of greens was a perfect accompaniment. If I am honest we may have used too many chick peas as that made for a quite filling meal and perhaps it was a bit too much but you live and learn and next time will be more restrained.

All in all this is a great recipe and if you get the book I would urge you to check this one out.

GOAT BY JAMES WHETLOR

This Braised Kid Shank with Chorizo and Chickpeas was recipe is just one of many fantastic dishes that you can find in GOAT (the Goat Cookbook) by James Whetlor

Goat – Cooking and Eating by James Whetlor is published by Quadrille