Goat meat is popping up on trendy menus, touted as the next hot thing. How sad. The true goodness of goats is in their wise eyes, their frisky tails, their wispy beards - and their milk.
Calcium-rich, it's lower in fat, lactose and cholesterol than cow's milk but with a rich creaminess. And the goat's milk movement has grown way beyond chevre with a new generation of great products.
Laloo Goat's Milk Ice Cream ($5.99, 16 ounces) could convert the most goat-phobic. Creamy, dreamy Vanilla Snowflake has true vanilla taste, super-satisfying mouth feel and the merest goaty tang. It comes in half a dozen other flavors, too, including chocolate. Another plus: It has half the calories (140) and one-third the fat (6 grams) of Haagen-Dazs vanilla bean.
Redwood Hill Farm makes goat's milk yogurt ($2.29, 6 ounces) and kefir ($6.99, 32 ounces) that are as rich in probiotics as their cow's milk counterparts with similar fat and calorie counts (140 and 3.5 grams respectively for a 6-ounce cup of blueberry yogurt). Their natural richness provides a pleasing satiety - you can eat less and enjoy more.
Also in the dairy case, Meyenberg Goat's Milk ($3.49, 32 ounces) tastes bolder, tangier and grassier than cow's milk, but with just 100 calories and 2.5 fat grams per cup. Use it in your mac and cheese for an earthy, exotic alternative.
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Spinach and Goat Cheese Frittata
Stylish and simple with bright flavors, this makes a lovely lunch with a salad and crusty bread.
2 tablespoons butter
3 scallions, chopped
1 bunch spinach or kale leaves (about 4 cups, loosely packed), chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves (about 2 sprigs)
4 eggs
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1/3 cup soft goat cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Melt butter in an oven-proof 8-inch omelet pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Saute scallions until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in greens by the handful and cook until just wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and mint.
Heat the broiler.
Whisk eggs until light and lemon-colored. Crumble in goat cheese and beat for a minute or so. Pour over greens and cook 4 to 5 minutes, tilting pan occasionally, until eggs are just set.
Place pan on top rack under broiler and cook 4 to 5 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and frittata is lightly brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 or 3 servings.
Per serving: 378 calories (72 percent calories from fat), 37 g fat (16.5 g saturated fat, 9 g monounsaturated fat), 37 g carbohydrates, 415 mg cholesterol, 22 g protein, 2 g fiber, 602 mg sodium.
