“In normal times I might cook this only twice a year, mainly because it is no longer fashionable. This week I cooked it up on Easter Monday and ate the leftovers again for dinner on Tuesday. When I was growing up we often had liver and onions for our main evening meal. My parents ran a village grocery shop on the north west coast of Lancashire and our meals were rapidly put together at 6pm closing time, and eaten watching comedy programmes like Gilligan’s Island on the BBC. Reasons for liver being on my menu now are that it is delicious and substantial, and an incredibly nutritious, economical and easy meal to prepare. 

• Ingredients: Buy a packet of lambs liver (or another animal’s liver) from the supermarket or butcher. Keep it in the freezer until the time is right if you wish, then thaw in advance so that it is completely de-frosted.  Peel several large potatoes, chop cabbage and broccoli, or any vegetables you wish to substitute. Chop a large onion.

• Method: Put the potatoes on heat to boil in a pan of water with a little salt added.  Begin to fry the chopped onion in a little cooking oil. 
  Put at least two dessert spoons of flour onto a plate and mix with salt and pepper. Carefully remove the liver from all its packaging and lay in the flour piece by piece, turning until coated.  Add the liver to the frying pan, adding more oil as necessary. Turn frequently to prevent from sticking to the pan. The mixture will stick to the pan eventually but this is part of the deliciousness of the final dish. 

Now cook the vegetables while the liver is frying; I suggest that you steam them over a small pan with a little water in the bottom and a lid added. For extra goodness do not over cook them, they should be springy. Add water to the liver and onions when the liver has browned well on each side and mix. Bring back to the boil. Add salt, pepper and herbs, for example sage or oregano if you wish.  Remove the potatoes from heat when cooked, drain and mash roughly. Remove vegetables from heat and drain. Remove liver from heat when the mixture is sticky and has  a thick gravy texture . Remove half of each ingredient and keep in the fridge for a day. Serve the remainder on a large plate, adding butter and white pepper to the veg if required. 
The next day it is recommended that you mix the cabbage and potatoes and fry as you heat in a frying pan along with a little butter and pepper. It is safe to re-heat the liver and onion mixture; do so rapidly turning to ensure it is heated through. Eat it all up preferably when feeling ravenous”.

Judith