Chicken liver

Trim away any greenish patches, which can taste bitter if the gall bladder has leaked, and cut off sinew or large veins. Pat the pieces dry so they brown rather than steam.

Fry bite-sized pieces in a hot pan with a little oil for about 3–4 minutes, turning once; larger pieces need longer. Cut into the thickest piece to check it is cooked through, with no raw centre.

No: cook it until the centre reaches 75 °C, then serve promptly. A browned outside does not show that the middle is safely cooked.

Use a hot pan and cook it briefly, in batches so the pieces sear instead of releasing liquid. Salt near the end, and take the liver off the heat as soon as it is cooked through.

Fry it with onions and serve with mash, or blend cooked liver with butter, herbs and a splash of brandy for pâté. It also works in a savoury gravy or stirred through pasta.

Keep it covered in the fridge and use it within a day or two; store it on the lowest shelf so raw juices cannot drip onto other food. Freeze it if you will not cook it in that time, and thaw it in the fridge.

Beef liver has more protein: 26.5 g per 100 g, compared with 20 g in chicken liver. Chicken liver is milder and smaller, so it cooks more quickly.

Yes. Cool it promptly, seal it in a freezer-safe container and freeze; thaw it in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot throughout. Pâté can also be frozen, though its texture may become less smooth.