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Capra a Ra Vutana – Stewed Goat, Vutana Style


In the absence of goat, use lamb.

  • 2 1/4 pounds tender meat
  • 3/4 pound tomatoes, chopped and seeded but not peeled
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • Fresh basil
  • Fennel seeds (about a teaspoon to begin with)
  • 1 hot pepper or equivalent amount cayenne (or more to taste)
  • Vinegar
  • Olive oil
  • Salt

Chop the meat into pieces and soak it in a mixture of water and vinegar for two hours (you’ll want a few tablespoons of vinegar in water to cover). Then, pat the meat dry and sauté it in a pan with the olive oil (about a quarter cup); once it has browned for about ten minutes add the thinly sliced onion and continue cooking 5 minutes more. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, fennel and red pepper, and reduce the heat to a bare simmer. Dilute the tomato paste in a cup of water and use it to replace the liquid that evaporates during the simmering, which will take about three hours; after about an hour check seasoning and salt to taste.

Variation: For the same amount of meat, substitute in 2 tablespoons minced parsley and 2 minced cloves garlic for the fennel seeds; you can also increase the red pepper if you want.

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