Author Q&A: Jennifer McLagan, author of Odd Bits

Jennifer McLagan has received multiple James Beard awards for cookbooks which dare to step outside the norm. To celebrate the addition of Odd Bits to ckbk, we spoke to the author about her unique approach to cookbook writing, her favorite ways with offal, and the culinary delights of Paris.

Q. You’re known for writing books on culinary topics that some may find ‘challenging’. Before Odd Bits you published books on Fat and Bones. What is it that drives you to explore these somewhat left-field areas?

I find these left-field areas are the most intriguing, I like to write about subjects that interest me.  There is also the added benefit that they help my books stand out in the crowded cookbook field. 

Q. What was the response to Odd Bits book like? Did it divide opinion more than its two predecessors?

Bones [published in the UK as On the Bone] wasn’t that divisive. The main reaction was “I wish I’d thought of that idea”. I wrote Bones as a reaction to all the recipes for boneless chicken breasts that I worked on as a food stylist. To me, bones are an essential part of cooking. 

Fat was the most controversial. It was very hard to find a publisher, even though Bones had won the James Beard Single Subject Cookbook award. It was at the time when ‘no fat’ and ‘low fat’ cookbooks were all the rage. When I was promoting Fat, journalists asked me how much I weighed! I found that outrageous. Then, when the book won two James Beard awards, my agent and I knew it had been worth the effort. So, after all that, the response to Odd Bits was rather tame. Fergus Henderson had already paved the way which helped. 

Q. It seems that offal has had a rollercoaster ride. For centuries it was an important source of cheap protein, the basis of many classic rustic dishes such as haggis. Then it faced near disappearance in the age of pre-packaged supermarket meat. More recently it experienced a chef-led resurgence in the guise of Nose to Tail eating. Where do you think we have landed up now, 15 years on from your book’s publication?

Ha! Yes, I am an evangelist for offal and I really thought that it was becoming more popular. There was a resurgence, but now that seems to have receded. Today, meat eating, let alone eating offal, is going through a tough moral time. 

Q. What do you feel about the ethical arguments in favour of Nose to Tail eating?

Absolutely. If you are going to eat meat then you cannot ignore the ethical arguments surrounding that decision. You can’t condone the killing of animals for food, and then only eat certain parts of them. You need to find ways to use the entire animal, and that means its meat, offal, bones and blood.

Q. One attraction of cooking with odd bits is value for money, compared to prime cuts. But some unusual cuts such as oxtail have become fashionable and really quite expensive. Are there any parts which you think continue to offer especially good value?

Some odd bits have always been at a premium, such as sweetbreads and calf’s liver. Others, like oxtail and beef cheeks have become costly, as people have eaten them in restaurants, and realised they are easy to cook. Heart remains reasonably priced and it is extremely versatile. You can make heart tartare, mince it and add it to hamburgers, stir fry it, make kebabs, or braise it slowly. Heart is best served in pieces as no-one wants a whole heart on their plate. Confit gizzards are delicious, and lamb neck is another over looked cut. Tongue is good value, and is delicious hot or cold. Pig’s ear is also a favourite of mine, sliced up and fried, it is irresistible. Alas some think of it only as dog food.

How did you manage the recipe testing process for the book? Any special challenges? Any dish that was a surprise hit with sceptical testers?

I have several friends who are adventurous eaters and they tried everything I made. I think the most challenging for them were sheep testicles. Once they got over the mental aversion, they discovered they have mild flavour and are very inoffensive. One friend, who thought she hated brains couldn’t believe how delicious my recipe for brain ravioli is. The most difficult task was sourcing the offal. I did a lot of testing in Paris because I could easily obtain all the offal I wanted there.  

Have you had any memorable restaurant meals featuring odd bits?

I’ve had many. There was a wonderful restaurant that specialised in odd bits, across the river from Notre Dame, Ribouldingue. I had many great meals there, my first dish of testicles, but alas it has closed. I also remember the most amazing tête de veau prepared by chef Eric Fréchon at the Bristol. It was constructed in the form of a mille feuille, with a thick layer of the meat from the head, including the brain and tongue. This was topped with a jellied ravigote sauce, studded with capers, cornichons and chopped hard-boiled egg. [Stéphane Reynaud offers a simpler, classic tête de veau recipe in his book Ripailles.]

It seems that attitudes to offal vary around the world. Do you think North Americans are especially squeamish?

North Americans are squeamish about a lot of things. Remember I am Australian, I ate lots of offal growing up. When I was promoting Bones in Chicago I was giving away sample Oxtail Chinese-style, nobody would touch it. This was Chicago, the meat capital of America. I tried calling it beef tail, there were still no takers. When I called it ‘braised beef in soy sauce’, people lined up to try it. 

Which nations do you think make the best and most extensive use of offal?

Many cuisines make use of offal, but perhaps it is most ubiquitous in Asian cuisines. My knowledge is limited in this area, but there are many fine Asian offal recipes on ckbk.

You split your time between Toronto and Paris. What Toronto food do you most miss when you are in Paris? And vice versa?

I used to say I missed the large choice of cuisines that you can find in Toronto, but Paris has become much more multi-cultural, so I don’t miss anything when I am there. When I am in Toronto I miss everything about the food in Paris. There is such a range of ingredients in Paris markets and the density of population means that you don’t have to go far to source anything. I can ask my Paris butcher for lungs, he doesn’t bat an eyelid and will have them for me the next day. 

Popular recipes from Odd Bits

Praise for Odd Bits

‘Jennifer McLagan is a writer to trust. Her last two tomes, Fat and Bones, take subjects and ingredients we tend to shun and lavishes them with the care, eloquence and scholarship they really deserve. Her new book Odd Bits is every bit as fine. This is as much a work of reference as a labour of love. The recipes are alluring, as is the writing.’ – Tom Parker Bowles

‘There have been other books about offal, but none approached with anything like the chutzpah employed by Jennifer McLagan in Odd Bits… the award-winning author of Fat has rummaged about among the innards of the beast and brought forth something surprisingly delicious.’

'Studded with enriching literature, and written with care and knowledge. It’ s an important and much-needed book.’

‘Jennifer McLagan’s Odd Bits was my “ oh wow” moment’ – Zoe Williams (Food Books of the Year)

‘An absorbing journey… Jennifer McLagan is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable cheerleader’ – John Walsh

‘A treat for anyone who values the treasure that lies beyond the breast and loin… the heart and soul of this book is economical and delicious eating’ – Nigel Slater

‘Splendidly titled… she treats the (odd bits) with unapologetic gusto and respect, and provides accessible and persuasive recipes.’ – Matthew Fort

‘A superb book—well written, witty and full of excellent prose. Odd Bits is full of great conversations and fine pictures of the finished dishes, a little madness and a lot of brilliant information.’

‘Packed full of surprisingly tempting recipes, the book also delves into the rich historical and religious roles of these unusual meats’

‘McLagan’s enthusiasm for her subject is contagious, and her insight and humour should get even non-believers to consider the pleasure of odd bits.’

‘Expert advice and delicious recipes to make these odd bits a part of every enthusiastic cook’s repertoire.’

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