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4 fresh mushrooms, wiped and chopped or 25 g dried mushrooms 450 g lamb’s liver, cut into thin strips 10 ml (2 level tsp) cornflour 30 ml (2 tbsp) sherry 2.5 cm piece root ginger, peeled and sliced 1 small onion, skinned and finely chopped 30 ml vegetable oil 175 g (6 oz) can bamboo shoots, drained 10 ml (2 tsp) soy sauce If using dried mushrooms, soak in hot water for 10 minutes, until soft, then cut into small pieces. Mix the liver with the cornflour, sherry, ginger and onion. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the liver briskly for about 1 minute, then add the vegetables. Stir until every piece is golden, about 3 – 4 minutes, then pour in the soy sauce and serve hot. Serves 4 CHINESE-STYLE FRIED LIVER

BRAISED OXTAIL 2 oxtails, total weight about 1.6 kg, trimmed and cut into pieces 30 ml seasoned flour 60 ml vegetable oil 2 large onions, skinned and sliced 900 ml Beef Stock 150 ml red wine 15 ml tomato puree finely grated rind of ½ a lemon 2 bay leaves salt and pepper 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped 450 g parsnips, peeled and chopped chopped fresh parsley, to garnish Coat the oxtail pieces in the seasoned flour. Brown a few pieces at a time in the oil in a large flameproof casserole. Remove from the casserole with a slotted spoon. Add the onions to the casserole and lightly brown. Stir in any remaining flour, the stock, red wine, tomato puree, lemon rind and bay leaves and season well. Bring to the boil and replace the meat. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, then skim well. Stir the carrots and parsnips into the casserole. Re-cover the casserole and simmer for a further 2 hours, until the meat is quite tender. Skim all fat off the surface of the casserole, adjust seasoning and garni...

SPONGE FINGERS 1 egg 45 ml (3 level tbsp) caster sugar 60 ml (4 level tbsp) strong white flour Line a baking sheet with non-stick paper. Put the egg and sugar in a deep bowl and whisk until light, creamy and stiff enough to retain the impression of the whisk for a few seconds. Sift half the flour over the mixture and fold in very lightly, using a metal spoon. Add the remaining flour in the same way. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1 cm plain nozzle and pipe the mixture on to the baking sheet in 7.5 cm lengths, leaving room for spreading. Bake in the oven at 200°C mark 6 for 8 – 10 minutes, until golden. Remove the sponge fingers carefully and cool on a wire rack. Note: if you wish, the ends of the fingers may be dipped into melted plain or milk chocolate, or chocolate flavoured cake covering, and allowed to harden before using. Makes 17 SPONGE FINGERS

  1 ox heart, weighing 1 – 1.4 kg, washed and cut into 1 cm slices 45 ml vegetable oil 2 medium onions, skinned and sliced 45 ml flour 300 ml Beef Stock salt and pepper 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated ½ a small swede, peeled and grated 1 orange 25 g (1 oz) walnut pieces, chopped In a frying pan fry the heart slices in the oil until slightly browned and put them into a casserole. Fry the onions until lightly browned and add them to the casserole. Add the flour to the fat remaining in the pan and brown slightly. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes, season, then add to the casserole. Cover and cook for 3 ½ – 4 hours in the oven at 150°C mark 2, adding the carrots and swede after 2 ½ – 3 hours. Pare the rind from the orange, shred it finely, cook in boiling water for 10 – 15 minutes, then drain. Add the walnuts and orange rind to the casserole 15 minutes before cooking is complete. Serves 4 RICH CASSEROLED HEART

550 – 700 g lamb’s kidneys, washed, skinned and cored 45 ml vegetable oil salt and pepper grilled bacon, to serve Thread the kidneys on to 4 skewers, cut side uppermost. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook under a hot grill for 3 minutes, uncut side uppermost, then turn over to allow the juices to gather in the cut side and grill a further 3 minutes. Serve immediately with grilled bacon. Serves 4 GRILLED KIDNEYS

ROCK BUNS 100 g butter or block margarine 225 g plain flour 10 ml (2 level tsp) baking powder 2.5 ml (1/2 level tsp) mixed spice grated rind of ½ a lemon 100 g demerara sugar 100 g mixed dried fruit 1 egg, beaten about 5 ml milk (optional) Grease two baking sheets. Rub the fat into the sifted flour, baking powder and spice until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the rind, sugar and fruit. Make a well in the centre, pour in the egg and a little milk if necessary, to give a stiff crumbly consistency. Bind together loosely using a fork. Use two forks to shape the mixture together in rough heaps on the baking sheets. Bake in the oven at 200°C mark 6 for 15 – 20 minutes. Makes 12 ROCK BUNS

TOD IN THE HOLE 30 ml vegetable oil 450 g sausages 125 g plain flour pinch of salt 1 egg 300 ml milk and water mixed Put the vegetable oil in a small roasting tin and add the sausages. Place the tin in the oven at 220°C mark 7 for about 10 minutes, until browned and the fat is hot. Meanwhile, sift the flour and salt into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the egg and half the liquid. Gradually mix the flour into the centre of the bowl and add the remaining liquid. Beat until smooth. Pour into the roasting tin and bake in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes, until the batter is well risen and golden. Serves 4 TOD IN THE HOLE