Cowboy Casserole
The recipe that I’m sharing with you all today is called cowboy casserole, despite the fact that it uses ground goat and not ground beef. "Goatboy" casserole just didn't have the same ring to it... Nevertheless, it's a great late summer recipe that uses plenty of fresh veggies out of the garden. It also gives me an excuse to use my ridiculously large cast iron skillet (I think it's about 15 inches in diameter). If you don’t have one, don’t worry, you can make this recipe using a regular frying pan for the stovetop steps and then baking the casserole in a glass dish.
What you’ll need for this recipe:
Lard
Onion
Chili powder
Smoked paprika
Cumin
Oregano
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Sweet corn
Peppers
Tomatoes
Tater tots
Note: I use cherry tomatoes because they grow better in our climate, so I tend to have them available more often, but you could use a few roma tomatoes instead.
Steps to prepare casserole:
1. Preheat your oven to 425°.
2. Finely chop an onion. I used a red onion here because that’s what we had handy, but yellow onions are my preference.
3. Grease a skillet with a small amount of lard. Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened.
4. Add in one pound of ground goat. As the goat is browning, season it with the following: 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1/2 tablespoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of oregano, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
5. Meanwhile, cut the corn off of four ears, quarter a pint of cherry tomatoes, and finely chop a few hot (or not) peppers of your choosing. Jalapeños are my go to for this recipe. Pro tip: if jalapeños are too hot for you, but you enjoy their flavor, remove the ribs and seeds from the inside and just use the exterior portion.
6. Once the goat is browned, toss the tomatoes, corn, and peppers into the pan. Simmer until some of the liquid from the tomatoes has evaporated (it will continue to evaporate once you place it in the oven).
7. Mix in however much shredded cheese you’d like! I use a whole 8 ounce brick of Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar.
8. Spread an entire 2 pound bag of tater tots over the top in a single layer. (I would rather use tater tots made from our own potatoes than store bought tots, but I haven't quite hacked that recipe yet.)
9. Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool some before serving.
Somehow, this casserole tastes even better the longer it sits. We definitely recommend reheating it for a quick, hearty lunch the following day!