Roast leg of goat – Tough (If you weren’t here for it).

“Is it not a bit tough?”, “I wouldn’t like the taste”, “The flavour might be a bit strong for me.” So were the comments when I announced I was planning to roast a leg of goat. I hate to have my cooking prejudged. It’s difficult enough to bear the postmortems. However, I am not impervious to the general mood, particularly when it tends towards the doom laden. I needed to make this goat tasty. I needed to demonstrate that I knew what I was at. I needed some inspiration. I settled on Roast Spiced Leg of Goat with Winter Vegetables. That would get them back on my side.

This takes a while to get the flavour into the meat. Start a day before you intend eating.

Ingredients

• 1 goat leg
• 2 teaspoons of Garam Masala
• 1 teaspoon of chilli flakes
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon of palm sugar
• Juice of a lemon
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Carrots, parsnips and red onions for roasting

Mix the ingredients (except the vegetables) together.

Cut slashes across the flesh of the goat. Do this on both sides of the leg.

Rub the leg all over with the delicious spice mixture.

Place the goat in the fridge and leave to absorb the flavours for at least 8 and up to 24 hours. Roast, covered, in a 180ºC oven for one and three quarter to two hours or so. Check it for doneness after about an hour and a half.

Side note on vague descriptions on cooking times: I have applied a bit of psychology to this little bit of advice. I reckon that anybody who will have garam masala in the cupboard will know how to roast a leg of lamb. If you know how to roast a leg of lamb, you know how to roast a leg of goat. Good psychology or what?

After about an hour of roasting time, place the vegetables in the oven and roast them with the goat, uncovered. Boil some potatoes while you are at it. Take the goat and the vegetables out of the oven and let the goat rest. While it is resting, make a nice gravy from the pan juices.

Carve the goat as you would do lamb. (I’m applying my psychology again here. Anybody who is prepared to roast a goat leg, will have experience of doing likewise with lamb.)

Serve it with the vegetables and gravy. We accompanied it with a nice, powerful Spanish red. While it is not as tender as spring lamb, it is not tough. The goat carries a lovely flavour. It is well worth doing. If the opportunity arises, seize it with both hands. Tough on you if you don’t.