Les Abats: Recipes celebrating the whole beast

Don’t be afraid of offal. Some of the greatest of all French classics involve organ meats such as brains and sweetbreads. - Michel Roux Jr

Celebrated chef Michel Roux Jr passionately believes that we are missing out. At a time when food shortage is a global concern, health fears over processed meat are making headlines and the cost of living is higher than ever, he can’t understand our reluctance to utilise every part of an animal’s carcass. Brains, organs, intestines, hooves - items that are traditionally viewed with distaste in our society - are an integral part of French and world cuisine.

With this book, the two-star Michelin chef hopes to change the way we think about offal and demonstrate that, with a little time and effort, it can be used to produce enticing and delicious food to impress friends and feed families.

The book will contain recipes ranging from the simple sweetbreads Michel’s mother fed him as a child, to the more adventurous dishes in the style served at his award-winning restaurants. Dishes range from La Salade Aveyronnaise (Warm salad with sweetbreads and Roquefort) or Soupe aux abattis (Giblet soup), to Cervelle de veau zingara (Calves’ brains with zingara) or Langue de boefu au persil et cares (Salted ox tongue with caper parsley sauce).