Lambs' Liver with Wild Mushrooms in Madeira

Start off by rinsing the dried porcini under the cold tap, just in case there’s any bit of grit lurking around, then place them in a bowl and pour the Madeira over them.

Leave them like that to soak for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile peel and cut the onion in half, then slice each half in crescent-shaped slices (not too thin). Heat 1 dessertspoon of the oil in your first frying pan, add the sliced onion and, keeping the heat fairly high, toss them around till they are a dark brown colour. Then add the chopped garlic and sliced mushrooms and toss them around the pan for a minute or so. Next pour in the soaked porcini and all the Madeira, followed by the white wine.

Stir 1 heaped teaspoon of grain mustard in, followed by a seasoning of salt and freshly milled pepper. Bring it all up to simmering point, then turn the heat down to its lowest setting and let it just barely bubble, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Try to keep an eye on it – it must only just simmer. While that’s happening prepare the liver. Dry it with kitchen paper then slice into approximately 1½-inch (4 cm)lengths, keeping them thin (say the size of a thin French fry). When the onions and mushrooms have had their 45 minutes, heat the other dessertspoon of oil well in your second frying pan, then add the strips of liver and cook them briefly, tossing them around till they have browned – this will only take 1-2 minutes, if they’re overcooked they will dry out. Then tip in the onions, mushrooms and sauce and combine them with the liver.

Serve straightaway.

An Italian accompaniment could be risotto Milanese, but a good old English mash, nice and creamy, would also be good.