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Cooking Country Food in the Hills of Granada

After a wonderful day spent recently with Toma friends in the hills close to Granada, we wanted to share this great Spanish country recipe with you all.

Choto (Kid Goat) al Ajillo is a typical dish from Andalusia and very popular in the mountain regions of Granada. It has many processes but is very simple to make and wonderful to prepare in a group. It´s perfect for a gathering of friends on a winter or spring day.  All hands have to be on deck and the result is surprisingly tasty.

Eating the finished dish is a very Spanish experience as everyone eats from the huge pan once the food in prepared. One of the best treats of the day was mopping up the leftover sauce with hunks of fresh bread bought from the local village.

Here´s how to prepare it step by step.

GARLIC GOAT HERE WE COME!

These amounts are for 20 people. For less simply adjust the amounts.

Ingredients for country food in Andalucia
Essential Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 4 Garlic heads
  • 4 Kilos of Choto (not all butchers sell it but local rural ones should)
  • 2 Goat Livers
  • Olive Oil
  • 4 Dried red peppers
  • A fresh loaf of local bread. Pan Cateto or Pan de Pueblo
  • Thyme
  • Cumin
  • Black Pepper
  • Salt
  • White Wine

Step 1

You need to build a decent fire with wood and let the logs burn for a while to create decent head. A little iron stand needs to stand over the logs and to hold the pan over the flames.

 

Cooking over a fire in Andalucia
Preparing the fire

Step 2

The Pan! It´s not a Paellera, which is more shallow. This is a HUGE frying pan with handles. They sell them in the village hardware stores.   Peel 4 garlic heads and throw the garlic in the pan.

 

Softening the garlic over fire
Softening the garlic

Step 3

Pour a decent amount of Olive Oil into the pan.

 

Olive oil for cooking in Andalucia

Step 4

Once the garlic heads are golden remove and keep them to one side

 

Frying garlic over the fire
Remove the garlic

Step 5

Add the dried red peppers carefully (they might POP!) once fried through remove and keep

 

Cooking outdoors in Andalucia

Step 6

Fry off until golden the middle portions of the loaf of bread

 

Cooking in Andalucia hills

Step 7

Add the Goat

 

Cooking in Granada

Step 8

Add spices to suit. Cumin, Salt and Pepper, Thyme and Guindilla (little dried chillies. 4 are barely noticeable. If you like spicy food add more)

 

Add the dried red peppers

Step 9

Add the Goat Livers

Step 10

Blend the garlic, bread and peppers adding a quarter of a bottle of white wine

 

Preparing food in hills of Granada
Preparing the sauce

Step 11

Add the sauce to the pan

 

Andalucia country cooking
Add the sauce to the pan of cooked Goat

Step 12

Add the rest of the white wine

 

How to cook Choto al Ajillo

Step 13

Let it simmer through for 15-20 minutes

Step 14

AL ATAQUE! Dig in and enjoy. Remember the best bit! Mopping the sauce up with the crusts of the local bread.

 

Country cooking in Granada
Enjoying the results of our country style Choto al Ajillo in Granada!

 

Absolutely delicious, leave us a comment below if you think so too!

If you fancy trying your hand at some Spanish cooking skills you can join us on one of our Spanish cookery days, or even take a longer Spanish Cooking holiday with us in the hills of Andalucia.  Buen Provecho!

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