Capretto al Mirto

Name: Capretto al Mirto
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sarda
Ingredients: 1000 g bone-in kid goat meat; 45 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 3 piece Garlic cloves; 150 ml Dry white wine; 8 sprig fresh myrtle branches; 7 g Fine sea salt; 2 g Black pepper; 120 ml warm water

Tender pieces of kid goat braised in white wine and rested warm under fresh myrtle branches. In Sardinian it is known as cabrìtu cun murta.

🇮🇹Italy· Sardinia

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 55 min
Total: 70 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 490 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

1000 g bone-in kid goat meat — cut into uniform serving chunks
45 ml Extra virgin olive oil — robust Sardinian oil preferred
3 piece Garlic cloves — peeled and lightly crushed
150 ml Dry white wine — such as Vermentino di Gallura or Nuragus
8 sprig fresh myrtle branches — leafy sprigs, rinsed and thoroughly dried
7 g Fine sea salt — to taste
2 g Black pepper — coarsely cracked
120 ml warm water — or mild unseasoned meat stock

Equipment

•Heavy-bottomed casserole or Dutch oven
•Tongs
•Wooden spoon
•Serving platter with deep sides
•Aluminium foil

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 490 kcal
fat: 31 g
carbs: 2 g
fibre: 0 g
protein: 48 g
calories: 490 kcal

Instructions

1
Pat the kid goat chunks dry with kitchen paper and season thoroughly with the salt and cracked black pepper.
2
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
3
Add the meat in a single layer and sear without moving until a deep golden-brown crust forms, about 8 minutes.
4
Turn the pieces over to brown the remaining sides, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan.
5
Add the crushed garlic to the pan and toss with the meat for 1 minute until fragrant.
6
Pour in the white wine, scraping up all caramelised brown residue from the bottom of the pan.
7
Allow the wine to bubble vigorously for 3 minutes until the harsh alcohol aroma cooks off completely.
8
Add the warm water, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer gently for 40 minutes.
9
Remove the lid and simmer for another 5 minutes until the meat is tender and the liquid becomes a glossy pan sauce.
10
Line a deep, warm earthenware platter with half of the fresh myrtle branches.
11
Transfer the boiling-hot meat and pan juices onto the leaves, cover immediately with the remaining branches, and seal tightly with foil.
12
Rest undisturbed for 10 minutes to allow the heat to extract the myrtle fragrance, then uncover and serve warm.

Chef's tips

Always use fresh leafy myrtle branches rather than dried leaves, as the fresh resinous oils require the hot steam of the meat to release their true piney perfume. Do not simmer the branches directly in the pan with the meat for long periods, or the tannins will make the pan juices bitter.

Ingredient substitutions

bone-in kid goat meat → young milk-fed spring lamb shoulder cut into chunks
fresh myrtle branches → fresh bay leaves mixed with fresh rosemary sprigs, though the unique Sardinian herbal aroma will differ

Storage

Store leftover meat without the myrtle branches in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water or wine until heated through.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Simmering myrtle in the pan the whole time, which releases harsh bitter tannins into the sauce
•Skipping the resting step under foil, which prevents the essential herbal oils from infusing the meat
•Crowding the pan when browning, causing the kid to steam rather than develop a rich golden crust