Odd Bits

JUST TRY IT, YOU’LL LIKE IT, WRITES FIONA SMITH OF HER ENTRY-LEVEL OFFAL RECIPES.

Most of the people I know who aren’t hardcore food people dislike offal, often to the point of revulsion. Many of us grew up not having to eat offal; there were plenty of other options available and it was probably easier for parents not to have to fight that battle. In my house we had brains and lamb’s fry occasionally, and while I am certainly not a passionate offal lover, I grew fond of certain types, thanks in large part to my mother’s adventurous palate and to travel. And, sometimes in my job I have to push all my food prejudices deep down and try things that disgust me.

For these recipes I have chosen the most readily available and acceptable offal. I think the banh mi is a great place to start if you are a novice offal eater, with lamb’s liver that has been fried reminiscent of the flavour of the pâté raditionally found in that sandwich. I hope these recipes appeal to those of you who don’t usually eat offal. The aim is that these are so delicious that you become real offal fans!

To ring the changes, master mixologist Peter Lowry has selected sherry and vermouth as the perfect match for these adventurous dishes.

NOTE ON PREPARING OFFAL

Offal does have a lot of connective tissue, sinew etc. Try to remove as much as you can, and any green spots on liver. I am often quite ruthless when cleaning; offal is usually cheap and I like to be left with nice clean pieces for cooking, and my dogs reap the benefits of my waste.