Three of James Whetlor's gorgeous goat recipes

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Kid Shank, Apricot and Pistachio Tagine

Adding the sweetness of dried fruit to the depth and richness of kid meat creates a dish that is one of the greats of world food.

I always have a jar of ras al hanout in the kitchen – it’s a really useful seasoning. You can also use 800g/1¾lb diced kid here in place of the shanks. Serve with harissa and couscous.

Serves 4

4 kid shanks

2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

60g/1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground

2 teaspoons ras al hanout spice blend

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

400ml/generous 1 ½ cups stock or water

10 saffron strands, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes

small bunch of coriander (cilantro), leaves chopped, stalks reserved

150g/5oz dried apricots, roughly chopped

1 medium preserved lemon, rind only (discard the pulp), roughly chopped

50g/1 ¾ oz pistachios, roughly chopped

honey, to taste

salt and freshly ground black pepper

small bunch of mint, leaves picked, to serve

Method

Mix together the shanks, tomatoes, onions, garlic, melted butter, spices (apart from the saffron), 1 teaspoon salt and . teaspoon pepper. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, put the marinated meat in a large saucepan and cook, uncovered, over a moderate heat for 20 minutes until a sauce has formed and thickened.

Add the stock or water, along with the saffron and its soaking water, the coriander (cilantro) stalks, dried apricots and the preserved lemon, then cover and simmer gently over a low heat for about 2 hours or until the meat is completely tender. Top with a little water if it dries out.

When the shanks are cooked, remove any excess fat from the sauce and add the pistachios, then the honey with salt and pepper to taste. Serve scattered with the coriander and mint leaves.

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Buttered Scottadito

Loosely translated from the Italian, scottadito means burnt fingers. Serve with salsa verde.

Serves 4

12 kid cutlets

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary orsage leaves

grated zest of 1 lemon (keep the lemon to serve as wedges)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

70g/5 tablespoons softened unsalted butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

crusty bread or toast, to serve (optional)

Method

Using a mallet or rolling pin, flatten the cutlets out between 2 sheets of cling film (plastic wrap) or greaseproof paper, to about 1cm/ ½ in thick.

Add the herbs, lemon zest and garlic to the butter.

Season the chops with salt and pepper.

Spread the flavoured butter on both sides of the cutlets and put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Heat a barbecue, grill or griddle pan, and cook the cutlets briefly on one side, then flip them over and cook the other side – the cooking time should be anywhere between 2–5 minutes on each side, depending on the heat and how you like them cooked.

Serve the cutlets piping hot, with lemon wedges and salsa verde (page 196), and some crusty bread or garlic-rubbed toast, if you like.

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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/1 cup

4 anchovy fillets, rinsed if packed in salt

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

large bunch of flatleaf parsley, leaves picked

small bunch of basil or mint (or a combination), leaves picked

2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed and roughly chopped

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice, or to taste about

100ml/scant ½ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

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.

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.

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Crying Leg Boulangère

Some sliced swede (rutabaga) 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 (recipe above).

Serves 4

2kg/4 ½ lb bone-in leg of kid

(about ½ a full leg)

3–4 garlic cloves, sliced

big bunch of rosemary or thyme,

roughly chopped

50g/3 ½ tablespoons softened butter,

or use 3 ½ tablespoons olive oil

600g/1lb 5oz waxy potatoes,

peeled and thinly sliced

2 large onions, thinly sliced

400ml/generous 1 ½ cups chicken

or kid stock (or use water)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.

Rub salt and pepper all over the leg. Using a pointed knife, pierce small, deep slits about 5cm/2in 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/350°F/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.

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These recipes are from 'Goat: Cooking and Eating' by James Whetlor (Quadrille, £20) with photography by Mike Lusmore.