[This is a guest post from :)Ibti,who is biking around the country while learning about and practicing sustainability. She recently visited La Buena Vida Farm.]

I consider myself a bit of a foodie. As such, I was in good company last week during my time spent with the good folks at La Buena Vida Farm. I learned quite a bit about community building and sustainable farming. One of the other things I particularly enjoyed was the free reign the family allowed me in the kitchen. The first night, we enjoyed quinoa and a thai curry loaded with fresh veggies from the farm. Pretty simple and tasty. Ah, but the second evening, now THAT was a dinner: curried goat, couscous, a loaf of Jerry’s fresh bread, and a savory kale saute.

In fact, it was the first time I’d cooked (or eaten) goat. I know, funny when I think about it, having grown up eating lamb, but there you have it. When Jen offered me a chance to fiddle with a beautiful goat rib roast — one of their own pasture raised goats, butchered a couple of months ago — I happily accepted the challenge and dove into my bag of travel spices. Yes, I travel with spices. 25 of them, actually. I like to cook, what can I say? Here, for your culinary pleasure, is approximately how you might recreate the Indian-inspired meal:

Defrost one 3 1/2 – 4 lb. pasture-raised goat rib roast

Combine the following in a small bowl:
6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
8 – 10 crushed cardamom pods (or 1/2 tsp ground cardamom)
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp cayenne powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Rub the spice mixture on the roast. Place the roast in a crock pot, add 1/2 C water, cover, and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours (or cook in a 300F oven for 1 1/2 – 2 hours in a roasting pan) until a meat thermometer inserted to the center reads about 130F. Let rest 5 – 10 minutes before carving. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve. (Serves 4-6)

If you want to recreate the savory kale side dish: Saute 4 – 5 cloves of minced fresh garlic in 1 TBSP olive oil in a wok (or deep pan). Add 1/2 lb fresh kale, 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, a handful of chopped almonds, and a handful of raisins (or chopped, dried plums). Saute until the kale is just wilted.

Nearly all of these ingredients are sold by the folks at La Buena Vida Farm weekly at the Portal farm stand. So pick up some fresh goodies and spices and get cooking!