Goat mole soup with pinto beans recipe

Ingredients

• 2–3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2¼ lb (1 kg) mixed goat meat and bones
• 2 onions: 1 halved, 1 diced
• 1 celery stick, chopped into chunks
• 1 carrot, chopped into chunks a bouquet garni made from a bay leaf, thyme sprigs and parsley stalks
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1½ Tbsp ancho chilli paste
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp dried Mexican oregano (or use standard)
• 14 oz (1 x 400 g) can chopped tomatoes
• 1½ Tbsp cocoa powder
• 14 oz (1 x 400 g) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 Tbsp smooth almond butter
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper coriander [cilantro] leaves, to serve

1. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan and brown half of the goat meat and bones for a few minutes, until they have picked up some colour. Remove from the pan with tongs, add another 1 Tbsp of oil, if you need to, and brown the second half.
2. Return all the goat to the pan and cover with 1.5 litres [6½ cups] cold water. Add the halved onion, celery, carrot and bouquet garni. Put a lid on the pan and bring the water to the boil, then lower the heat so it is gently simmering and cook for 2 hours until the goat is really tender. Strain, reserving the stock, and shred the goat meat from the bones. Leave the stock to cool here if you can as it makes it much easier to remove any fat from the top. If you are cooking the soup straight away, use a spoon to skim off as much fat from the top as you can.
3. Put the stock into a clean pan and cook to reduce down until you have about 1 litre [4¼ cups].
4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil in the cleaned large saucepan and sauté the diced onion and garlic for about 10 mins until soft and translucent. Add the chilli paste, cumin, cinnamon and oregano and cook for another couple of minutes until it’s smelling aromatic. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and stir in the cocoa powder.
5. Add the reduced stock to the pan and cook for 15 minutes, so the tomatoes have a chance to cook a bit more, then stir in the goat meat, pinto beans and almond butter. Taste and season well with salt and black pepper, then ladle into 4 warmed bowls. Serve topped with a few coriander leaves.