Offal - from hatred to love

chite

So was at the butchers over the weekend and I was gifted with some lamb's liver, suppose for being a regular and all that. I remember having it once or twice before and found it vile. Cooked some in a casserole dish and while my younger self might have given it to the dog, I made myself finish it to avoid wasting food. So afterwards I was searching online for how to effectively cook it to minimise the bitter taste. I came across this blog and more or less followed the author's advice: http://vomitingchicken.com/liver-and-onions-a-secret-that-will-make-it-irresistible/

Soaked the liver in milk for an hour, fried some red onion and garlic, added the floured liver cuts though they were thoroughly cooked through rather than leaving some pink in the middle, and added herbs which really added to the liver. It made such a huge difference to the flavour of the liver (the milk), any qualms I had about liver are quelled now, would def eat again.

I also have had tripe and drisheen (it's a Cork thing apparently) which were grand as well. Boil tripe for about 40 mins and then boil it in milk after for about 15 minutes. Season with pepper, parsley or onion. For the Drisheen, you cut it and put the slices in a frying pan for few minutes.

Came across this, some cool ideas there: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=81367560 Any more suggestions on recipes for other types of offal?

kylith

I love kidneys. My mother puts them in stew with chucks and skirt, and makes it specially for me when I come visit. I’m not a big fan of liver, but I like lamb heart, which tastes similar but has a better texture.

zoe 3619

Kidneys or liver I could eat.
Have never tried tripe and and I imagine the texture would be strange?A bit like boiled tongue-it sort of tastes beefy but it's too sponge like.

kylith

I have very good memories of tripe from my childhood. IIRC the texture is odd, kind of chewy, and not like meat at all. I remember enjoying it boiled with onions.

chite

Was ages ago when I had it, but afair it was flavourless and chewy but good with the sauce it was cooked in, dunno what it was though. Had it in the English Market, would def eat it by someone who knows how to cook it cos it could be a disaster otherwise I say. Trying to look up more recipes, it something you don't really see mentioned much by chefs really although there are some Darina Allen ones.

Whistlejacket

I love sweetbreads; prepped to remove the outer film, dipped in flour, egg, seasoned breadcrumbs and shallow fried in butter, eaten with toast. They're hard to find but my favourite type of offal (although I will also readily concede that frying in butter basically makes everything taste great!).

I also love liver soaked in milk as above, then baked in the oven with a handful of breadcrumbs and streaky rashers on top until the liver is cooked and the rasher has crisped up and dripped into the breadcrumbs. My granny used to cook it for me, it's gorgeous, a real comfort food meal.

Also pate. I'm starving now, will have to stop!

the beer revolu

I'm not a lover of ofal but I love the cheap cuts - cheek, tail, feet, brawn etc.

Exceptions for ofal are paté - love it but dislike liver.
I had beef heart once at a BBQ which was lovely but I tried it at home with little success.
I did sweetbreads once and quite liked them - poached and pressed them before breading and frying them, though.

The Hill Billy

How did you do the beef heart? I haven't cooked it myself, but it was a regular when I was a kid. My Nan cut off the top, filled auricles & ventricles with stuffing & skewered the top back on. Then braised it in beef stock & onions long & low in the oven. Although she did start it off on a high heat for 20-30 mins to get a bit of colour on it.

otnomart

Chicken hearts are lovely cooked in a casserole with onions.
Must get some soon !

The Hill Billy

On foot of this thread I bunged a few lamb's hearts in with a lamb shoulder I braised for dinner yesterday, just to give the Kids a taste (& a little treat for yours truly). They went down surprisingly well.

I must see if my butcher can arrange an ox heart for me.

ford2600

Darina Allens brother is cooking liver,, kidneys and sweetbreads on Rte this evening

The Hill Billy

Thanks to this thread - I'm doing liver, bacon & stuffing casserole this weekend. With mashed spuds & turnips on the side.

Muahahaha

Whistlejacket wrote: »

I love sweetbreads; prepped to remove the outer film, dipped in flour, egg, seasoned breadcrumbs and shallow fried in butter, eaten with toast. They're hard to find but my favourite type of offal (although I will also readily concede that frying in butter basically makes everything taste great!).

Absolutely love sweetbreads too. First came across them in Argentina where their BBQs go on for seven courses of meat and sweetbreads were typically the second course. If you are in Dublin then the Village Butcher in Ranelagh (branch in Firhouse too) can supply them with a couple of days notice. Same butcher has always come through for me for any type of less popular cut like lambs ribs, oxtail, etc and they were brilliant at making up a specified burger mince to order. All that said I would imagine any decent butcher should be able to supply all these cuts if given a few days, they just dont have them in the shop but certainly should be able to get them if theyre worth their salt.