I have never eaten innards I haven't liked - unless they have been badly cooked. I've tried every edible part of an animal - not just the bits most people find acceptable, such as liver and tongue, but also parts that will have the squeamish turning away in disgust. Innards have far more flavour than the more standard cuts of meat and the textures are much more varied. They have a reputation for being difficult to prepare and some require a lot of cleaning to make them palatable. But, as these recipes demonstrate, many innard dishes are quick and easy to make. Blanched pig's kidney and liver with spring onion, ginger and fresh coriander (pictured) Have the butcher thoroughly clean the kidney - he should cut it open and remove all the dark spots and white veins. Serve these meats with a bowl of congee and a dish of stir-fried bitter greens. 1 pork kidney (about 300 grams), halved and cleaned 1 tsp fine sea salt 200 grams pork liver 4-6 spring onions, sliced lengthwise into fine shreds, then cut into 4cm pieces About 20 grams fresh ginger, peeled and julienned Sprigs of fresh coriander About 30ml cooking oil About 45ml soy sauce Rinse the kidney and liver thoroughly under cold running water. Put the kidney in a bowl. Dissolve the salt in 300ml of ice water, pour it into the bowl and leave in the fridge for about 30 minutes before draining, then rinse with water and drain again. Slice the liver into pieces about 5mm thick. Lay the kidney halves on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to score the surface in a cross-hatch pattern, cutting about 3mm deep (this helps them to cook evenly), then cut them into pieces about 2cm wide. Bring two medium-size pans of water to the boil. Cook the kidneys and liver separately until just done - there should be just a hint of pink at the centre. Do not overcook or the meat will be tough. Drain the kidneys and liver then put them together on a platter. Top with the spring onion, ginger and coriander Put the cooking oil in a small pan and heat until very hot. Pour this over the spring onion, ginger and coriander - they should sizzle and wilt. Drizzle the soy sauce over the ingredients, then serve immediately. Saut?ed chicken hearts with potato This is a dish I ate often when I was at university - it was inexpensive and didn't take long to make. You can substitute the hearts with chicken gizzards, which should be trimmed to remove the tough connective tissue then cut into bite-size pieces. 1 potato (about 200 grams) 15ml cooking oil 1 garlic clove, sliced 200 grams chicken hearts A pinch each of ground paprika and cayenne pepper About 60ml cream Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Peel the potato and cut it into 1cm cubes. Put the pieces in a pan, cover with cool water and add half a teaspoon of salt. Stir, bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer until the potato is almost tender. Drain, rinse with cold water then drain again. Cut each heart in half and remove the veins and any blood inside. Rinse them under cold water then pat them dry with paper towels. Heat the oil in a skillet, add the garlic and cook over a low flame until soft. Increase the heat, add the chicken hearts and saut? until lightly browned. Add the potato then season with salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper. Stir in the cream then lower the heat, cover with the lid and simmer for a few minutes, or until the chicken hearts are cooked. Taste for seasoning and adjust if needed, then serve. Poached pig tongue with salsa verde 1 pig tongue 2 large garlic cloves A few sprigs of parsley The zest of one lemon, removed from the fruit in wide strips with a vegetable peeler For the salsa verde: 80 grams Italian or curly leaf parsley (thick stems removed) 1 heaped tbsp capers, drained 2 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained 1-2 garlic cloves Finely grated zest of half a lemon About 45ml fresh lemon juice About 60ml extra-virgin olive oil Rinse the pig tongue, put it in a bowl, add enough cold water to cover, then refrigerate. Leave to soak for a few hours, changing the water twice. Rinse the tongue then put it in a pan of fresh water. Add the garlic cloves, parsley sprigs and strips of lemon zest. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and let the tongue cook at a low simmer until tender. Remove the skin from the meat when the tongue has cooled just enough to handle (it comes off easier when hot). To make the salsa verde, put the parsley, capers, anchovy fillets, garlic and lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine and coarsely chop the ingredients. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and pulse again to create a rough pur?e - it shouldn't be smooth. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings - the flavour should be quite sharp. Drizzle in more olive oil if needed to thin out the salsa verde. Cut the warm tongue into 5mm-thick slices. Lay the pieces on a plate and spoon the salsa verde on top, serving the rest on the side. Styling Nellie Ming Lee
