Recipe extracted from Goat: Cooking and Eating by James Whetlor (Quadrille Books, £20, photography by Mike Lusmore)
Some sliced swede or turnip would be a nice addition to the potato here. This is also the method for a simple roast joint of kid, just cooking without the onion and potato, adding traditional roasted potatoes or whatever sides you like. Serve with salsa verde.
CRYING LEG BOULANGERE
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the goat
- 2kg bone-in leg of kid
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- a big bunch of rosemary or thyme, rougly chopped
- 50g butter, softened or 3½ tbsp olive oil
- 600g waxy potatoes, peeled and thily sliced
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 400ml chicken or kid stock (or use water)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
For the salsa verde
This can also be made in a food processor, though try not to over-blend it. Tarragon and chervil can be an interesting replacement for the basil and mint. Chopped gherkins or cornichons can be added too.
Makes about 250ml
- 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed if packed in salt
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- a large bunch of flatleaf parsley, leaves picked
- a small bunch of basil or mint (or a combination), leaves picked
- 2 tbsp salted capers, rinsed and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp red wine veinegar or lemon juice (or to taste)
- 100ml good quality extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
METHOD
For the goat
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
- Rub salt and pepper all over the leg. Using a pointed knife, pierce small, deep slits about 5cm apart all over the leg, inserting a slice of garlic and small sprigs of herb deep into each slit.
- Place the leg in a deep roasting dish and smear the softened butter or olive oil all over the leg. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the potatoes and onions in a bowl, toss together and season with salt and pepper, adding any leftover garlic and chopped herbs.
- Take the meat out of the oven after its initial 20 minutes, transfer to a large plate and turn the oven temperature down to 180°C/Gas Mark 4.
- Spread the potatoes and onions out in the roasting dish and pour over the stock, then put the leg back on top so that it is ‘crying’ over the vegetables.
- Return the dish to the oven and roast for about another 45-60 minutes, depending on how well you like your meat cooked.
- Allow the meat to rest on a plate, and meanwhile crank the oven up to crisp the potatoes a bit, if you like.
For the salsa verde
(This is best eaten the day it is made, but you can store it in a jar with a thin layer of oil on the top in the fridge, for up to 3 days.)
- Mash the anchovies and garlic together in mortar and pestle, then gradually add the herbs and capers and pound to a rough paste. (Or chop the herbs, anchovies, capers and garlic together on a big board, using a large knife.)
- Stir in the mustard and vinegar or lemon juice, then slowly whisk in the olive oil until you achieve your desired consistency. Taste and add more vinegar or lemon juice if you like, plus salt and pepper to taste.