The other week, the main Spanish grocery store listed goat meat at a good price, $3.99 a pound. You need to exercise caution when buying chopped goat. It’s often more bone than yummy meat. This selection looked good and meaty, so I took home about two nice-looking pounds.

Looks were not deceiving; this selection had a good share of meat embedded in the ever-present bones. The cut also visually promised some good marrow in the boney crevasses.

Next decision was what to make with these treasures? Of course curry goat came to mind. I carry a memory of Boxing Day at a hilltop estate in Jamaica now fifty years ago enjoying, among other local culinary delights, a tasty curry goat with boiled green bananas. The local Guyanese roti shop has a lovely curry goat; the owner always has the bananas for me and others.

Curry, however, is not enjoyed by Daughter. I decided to turn to my cookbook collection instead of the ready reference of Google. A search through The Joy of Cooking and The New Basics (both really good go-to standard books) as well as a selection of Greek cookbooks came up empty. No recipes for this beautiful goat.

With no print choices, my next resource was Google where I found a Greek goat stewed with herbs and wine, Tsigariasto, said to be from Crete. Like other stews, I made it a day before to give it 24 hours to gain in tastiness. This strategy worked. And in my inimitable way, I made some additions, based either on instinct or what was on-hand in the larder.

Goat Stewed with Herbs and Wine. Season 2 pounds of bone-in goat (or lamb if you are averse to goat) with ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 1 ½ tbsp. fresh oregano (I used my dried Greek oregano).

The recipe calls for eight smallish shallots, cut ¼ inch off the ends of each shallot. Bring 2 quarts of water to boil and blanch the shallots (30 seconds to one minute in the boiling water). Cool, peel, and set aside, keeping them whole.

Brown the meat in a skillet; set aside in a baking dish. Add the shallots to the skillet, cook for a minute.* Add ½ cup of dry white wine to the shallots, scraping up the browned bits. Cook til reduced by half, then add to the meat. Add a few springs of fresh oregano over the top.

*I also picked up some nice leeks while at the market. I sliced them (white section and some green then cleaned them a bowl of water. When the shallots were nicely softened, I added the leeks to the pan to cook. A nice addition.

Cover the meat and shallots with a sheet of parchment and the lid. Bake at 275 Fahrenheit for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Check the meat half-way through cooking to make sure pan has not dried out. The wine and juices should be enough to cook the meat.

Constant Companion and I enjoyed this meal with a green salad and some steamed millet*, a grain forgotten in the pantry. It’s easy to prepare and very good. The recipe recommended a side dish of bitter greens, like dandelion greens. I had none in the fridge.

* Actually, following the directions I replaced plain water with the water the shallots had been blanched in.