Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday (1858) of Franz Boas, who was born and raised in Westphalia, taking a doctorate in physics with supporting interests in the German style of geography (including human geography – the relationship between humans and their environment), before embarking on fieldwork on the language and culture of the Inuit of Baffin Island, and subsequently on the peoples of the NW coast of North America – primarily the Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw.  His work revolutionized anthropology in the Americas.

My pedigree: my doctoral adviser was James Peacock, his was Cora DuBois, hers was Alfred Kroeber, and his was Boas. 

Here is a Westphalian dish to celebrate Boas’ heritage.  If you simply make a sandwich of black pumpernickel and Westphalian ham washed down with Westphalian beer, you will honor the day just fine.  I have chosen a more elaborate dish, leg of kid (young goat) in dark beer, as a more substantial offering.  Finding kid meat will be your challenge – and do not use older goat meat.  It may honor me as an old goat, but it will be really tough cooked this way. 

Ingredients

    3 ¼ lb/1.5 kg  leg of kid on the bone

    salt and pepper

    2 tbsp butter

    9 oz onions diced,

    9 oz tomatoes diced,

    2 sprigs thyme

    2 cups dark German beer

    extra fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350° F/180° C

Rub the leg generously with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a deep roasting pan, and sear the leg of young goat in it until well browned all over, then take it out of the pan.

Sauté the onions in the pan juices, add the diced tomatoes and thyme, then place the leg of goat on top.

Pour 1 cup of beer over the leg, then roast in the oven for 1 ½  hours.  Baste with the remaining beer during this time. Take the leg out of the roasting pan and keep it warm.

Strain the pan juices, and bring them to a boil. Continue boiling until reduced and thickened, adjusting the sauce to taste with extra thyme, salt, and pepper as needed.

 Serve with red cabbage with apples, and potatoes boiled in their skins.

Serves 4 to 6.