Goat Milk

A classic British combo in the form of a comforting pie, boasting chunky pieces of sausage covered with lashings of rich onion gravy.

Preparation time less than 30 mins, Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour Serves 4–6

Ingredients:

For the mash

• 1kg/2lb 4oz Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 50ml/2fl oz goats milk
• 40g/1½oz salted butter
• 25g/1oz cheddar, grated

For the filling

• ½ tbsp oil, for frying
• 8 pork sausages (we used Cumberland)
• 1 tbsp salted butter
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp dried mixed herbs
• 2 tbsp apple chutney
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 500ml/18fl oz hot beef stock
• sea salt and cracked black pepper

Directions: 

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Place the potatoes in a large saucepan of salted water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to medium and allow to simmer for 10–15 minutes until the potato is soft when tested with a sharp knife.
• Drain the cooked potatoes into a colander, then return them to the warm pan along with the milk, butter and some salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes until smooth and fluffy. Set aside ready for assembly.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Warm the oil in a pan over a medium heat then add the sausages. Fry for 8–10 minutes, browning the sausages on all sides. Remove the sausages from the pan and transfer to a plate.
• In the same pan, melt the butter then add the onion. Fry the onions for 4–5 minutes until they start to soften and brown. Add a pinch of salt and the garlic. Fry for a further 1–2 minutes.
• Sprinkle in the herbs and stir through the chutney and mustard. Sprinkle in the flour, stir to coat the onions, then add any juices from the sausage plate along with the cider vinegar and stock.
• Bring everything in the pan to the boil before reducing the heat to a rapid simmer. Cook for 5–8 minutes until the liquid is reduced and a thick, glossy gravy is created. Chop the cooked sausages into chunky pieces and add to the gravy. Taste and season as necessary with salt and pepper.
• Carefully pour the sausage mixture into an ovenproof dish before spooning over the prepared mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and place in the oven for 25–30 minutes until the potato is golden and crispy.
• Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving alongside seasonal greens.

The U.S. dairy industry has traditionally relied on monthly milk production reports from the USDA to monitor the availability of milk supplies and project dairy product output. Historically, decreases in farmgate milk production indicated reduced supplies of both fluid milk and key milk components, like butterfat and protein, which are essential for producing dairy products such as cheese, butter, and yogurt. A decline in milk supplies often signaled the potential slowdown of dairy processor expansion plans.

However, the dynamics of U.S. milk production are evolving. While the total volume of milk production has declined for 14 consecutive months through September 2024, the production of butterfat and protein—key components in many dairy products—has increased in 12 of those months. This shift underscores a significant transformation in the industry, where milk composition now plays a more critical role than overall milk volume.

A report from CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange describes this “decoupling” of fluid milk production from milk component production as a paradigm shift driven by increased consumer demand for manufactured dairy products. More than 80% of U.S. milk is used for producing solid dairy products that depend heavily on milk components, while less than 20% is used in fluid beverages.

To adapt to these changes, the report suggests that the USDA’s milk production reports should be expanded to include data on protein and butterfat levels, providing a more comprehensive view of the industry. Corey Geiger, lead dairy economist at CoBank, noted, “A more robust report would be informative to producers, processors, and retailers for better planning and risk management.”

The shift in focus from milk volume to milk solids is reshaping the dairy market. Cheese production, for instance, has benefitted from higher butterfat and protein yields in milk, with each 100 pounds of milk yielding 11.2 pounds of cheese in 2023, compared to 10.1 pounds in 2010.

This trend extends beyond the U.S. domestic market, as manufactured dairy products are driving export growth, further emphasizing the demand for milk components. With over $7 billion invested in new dairy processing capacity, both at home and abroad, the industry is poised for continued growth in response to these shifting demands.

The Milk Component Pricing provisions have incentivized dairy producers to focus on increasing protein and butterfat content in their milk, driven by soaring consumer demand for high-quality dairy products like cheese and yogurt.

While updating the USDA’s monthly milk reports to include milk component data may pose challenges, Geiger emphasizes the long-term benefits for the industry, given the permanent shift towards milk solids in consumer preferences.

This basic white sauce recipe (aka béchamel sauce) is so versatile, and can be dressed-up or dressed-down for any occasion.  You can add cheese, or flavour the milk with onion or bay. Follow the simple steps and tips to avoid lumps and add flavour.

Preparation time less than 30 mins, Cooking time 10 to 30 mins Serves Makes 1 pint

Ingredients:

• 500ml/18fl oz goat milk
• 40g/2oz butter
• 40g/2oz plain flour
• salt and white pepper

Directions:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan.
• Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in one-third of the milk. Return to the heat and simmer, stirring, until all the milk is absorbed.
• Repeat this process, stirring all the time, allowing the sauce to become thick and shiny before adding more milk.
• When all the milk is added bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes and season with salt and white pepper.

*Recipe Tips

You can infuse the milk with a bay leaf or half a peeled onion for an extra layer flavour. This white sauce, also called bechamel sauce, is used as part of a lasagne.

Opinions differ as to whether the milk added to a white sauce should be hot or cold. Some say that using cold milk in a hot roux gives the sauce more time to absorb the liquid and will result in fewer lumps. Others advocate hot milk to help melt the roux. The choice is yours.