Blood and Guts Cookery
Tongue, Testicles and Tripe…
For the last couple of years ‘Head to Tail’ eating has been all the rage, thanks largely to the celebrated chef and author Fergus Henderson of St. John restaurant in London. For many this is a new thing, for those of us from a certain generation and before it’s nothing more than a fancy PR push on food from years ago and in fairness to Mr. Henderson he probably couldn’t agree more.
This type of cookery is all about celebrating the beast as a whole, forget the fillet, sirloin, best end etc and learn about the qualities of a slow cooked hock or knuckle, a crispy pigs ear, a seared kidney or a bone marrow to scoop out.
The English have done little to preserve their offal heritage and it’s a shame. We still cook liver, the mainly older generation will buy a pound of kidneys and the well off will order the sweetbreads in an upper class restaurant but that’s about it.
The Italians and French are masters of nose to tail cooking and eating, their dishes make sense and can turn a cheap meat into a luxurious meal. Calves or lambs tongue is gently poached in stock and served with remoulade or salsa verde, a pot of mixed meats and offal is served with the stock, some braised lentils and maybe a dollop of mustard.
I enjoy cooking offal in the restaurant, it doesn’t sell particularly well but whoever orders it goes away a happy bunny. My favourite dish is a plate of sweetbreads which have been trimmed of their sinew, dusted in seasoned flour and pan fried alongside some slices of tongue. I cook them all rare-medium and throw in a few plump capers before deglazing the pan with some sherry vinegar and then adding a ladel of brown chicken stock to make the sauce.
The best offal dishes are the simplest ones, devilled kidneys, liver and onions, creamed sweetbreads all make wonderful, natural sauces from one pot cookery.
It’s not just offal, slow braised pigs trotters make a fine meal, we regularly make terrines from hocks and knuckles and shins are braised to make fantastically sticky, succulent ‘daubes’ of beef which are full of flavour.
It is all too easy for a chef to stick to expensive ingredients but the real skill is in taking cheaper, less used cuts and turning them into something delicious. Price does not always equal flavour in cooking.
Miles,
I agree that the cooking of offal has been on the decline for some time and that one sees the older generation eating liver. As you say, it is eaten much more on the continent and, as with most things, is it not a matter of education? I would guess that most people will put up their noses just because of pre-conceived ideas and never having tried these things properly cooked. One sees on the TV from time to time that people are asked to taste something without knowing what it is and like
it. On hearing afterwards what it was they looked somewhat perplexed.
October 27, 2007 @ 10:14 am
Miles,
I love chicken livers and wonder if you would advise on the best way to serve them, perhaps even a good pate recipe?
hocks and knuckles and shins are braised to make fantastically sticky, succulent ‘daubes’ of beef ….. sounds fabulous.
Cid
October 27, 2007 @ 10:41 am
Elsie,
A good point, we often struggle to sell certain items on what I believe is usually preconceived ideas, many times people have said to me when having tried the tasting menu that such and such was delicious and that they would never normally have chosen it.
Miles
October 27, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
Cid,
I shall post some pate recipes, chicken livers used to be all the rage in salad composees of the eighties. They were always served pink but the food police don’t approve anymore. I would quickly pan fry them with chopped shallots, add a splash of madeira/sherry or brandy, a splash of chicken stock and some chopped herbs such as chervil, parsley, thyme or sage. You can finish the sauce with a little double cream and a piece of chilled butter to bring it all together if you wish.
Miles
October 27, 2007 @ 5:12 pm
Miles,
I think I am one of those Elsie refers to, I just don’t fancy the idea of it. So I am one of your candidates that should use the opportunity to taste it when it presents itself. I shall bear it in mind, especially when travelling to France.
October 27, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
Christine,
I would be lying if I said I enjoy all offal, I don’t. I love the sauce liver makes but not the meat itself. Sweetbreads I love but kidneys I do not. It’s just a question of trying them.
Miles
October 28, 2007 @ 9:34 am