Darina Allen: Modern ways to cook traditional tripe and other sweetbreads

And why lambs' liver really needs to be just 'shown to the pan'

Salad of Warm Sweetbreads with Potato Crisps, Anchovies and Wild Garlic

What are we like? We’re happy to eat a steak, a chicken breast or a chop but present someone with a salad of gizzards and hearts, or a spleen sandwich and they’d rather starve — where’s the logic but offal certainly engenders a feeling of disgust in many. However, I’ve just had a delicious bit of flash-fried lambs’ liver with lots of fresh sage leaves for supper.

It’s wonderful to see that A O’Reilly’s Tripe and Drisheen Stall in the English Market in Cork City still survives at a time when people seem to be more and more squeamish. I love tripe too but not so much of a fan of the traditional Cork tripe and onions, I rather prefer the Spanish or Italian way of cooking it to melting tenderness in a rich tomato sauce.