This soup is delicious and should convert almost anybody. I serve it chunky, with the vegetables intact and even with a large chunk of oxtail in the middle of the bowl so that the meat can be enjoyed too. But you could just as easily strain it to remove the “solids” for a more liquidy lunch.

The recipe for “Devilled Kidneys” dates back to Victorian times, although mine is not entirely true to the original mold. Sure, I’ve used kidneys, cream and mustard, but I’ve skipped the Worcestershire Sauce and Cayenne pepper, replacing them with red wine and paprika for a different taste.

Firstly, while we claim this recipe to be truly authentic, fajitas are a nonsensical item. How? The term “fajita” used to apply to a tough cut of meat from the belly of a cow. This originated in Mexico with the term arracheras, and the term fajita was used for the same thing in the U.S.

This pasta dish comes courtesy of my Father, who has a distinct style of food, generally focusing around fish, pasta, and fresh salads. And lots and lots of wine.

Bigos is one of those hearty stews that every country seems to have, and consider their national dish. This one is typical of Poland, and uses everyday ingredients such as Sauerkraut (Kapusta) and smoked or unsmoked meat.

Always on the lookout for something new, our local supermarket suprised us when we were out shopping by presenting us with ox heart, at a ridiculous price of 42p (English money). Never ones to pass up a bargain, we snapped it up, then went home to figure out how to cook heart; we ended up settling with the most simple method we could dream up, which turned out to be just perfect.