It's all too easy to forget that there are more parts to an animal than the prime cuts, but the bits we too often dismiss are often the most interesting to cook with. Autumn seems perfect for the rich flavours of liver, sausages and kidneys; time to celebrate the whole animal.

Chicken liver and mushroom pate

Serves 6

mushrooms - 200g

chicken livers - 400g

milk - enough to cover the livers

butter - 110g, plus 50g at the very end

whipping cream - 90ml

brandy

Chop the mushrooms into small pieces and cook them with the butter in a shallow pan till soft. Remove and set aside.

Trim any dark or green bits from the livers, put them in a bowl, cover them with milk and leave them for 30 minutes. This will rid them of any bitterness. Soften two-thirds of the 110g of butter, not so far as to melt it, but just so far that it takes a finger easily. Melt the remaining third in a shallow pan. When it starts to foam, drop in the livers, drained of their milk. Take care - they will spit at you. Let them develop a pale golden crust on one side, turn them over and let them do the same to the other. It is essential that the butter is hot enough for this to take only a few minutes, otherwise the centre will not stay pink and the pate will lose its magic.

Now tip the livers, their butter, the softened butter and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper into a blender or food processor with the cream and blitz to a puree. Pour a couple of good glugs of brandy into the empty pan and bring to the boil. Pour the brandy into the chicken livers and continue to blitz till smooth. I now suggest you sieve it, by pushing it through a fine mesh sieve with a wooden spoon. This is not compulsory (and it is a bit of pain) but you will be rewarded with a truly smooth, silky pate if you do.

Stir the mushrooms into the pate and scoop into a serving dish. Place the dish in the fridge and leave for half an hour. Melt the remaining butter, scrape off the froth with a spoon or kitchen paper, then pour the butter over the top of the pate to seal it. Refrigerate for three or four hours until set.

Black pudding with apple and mustard sauce

Serves 2

a large sharp apple

black pudding - 350g

butter - 30g

thyme - a few sprigs

For the sauce:

double cream - 100ml

smooth Dijon mustard - 2 teaspoons

white wine vinegar - a dash

Slice the apple across its circumference into six thick slices. Melt the butter in a shallow pan and, when it sizzles and froths, lower in the apple, letting it cook till golden on both sides. Remove each piece as it is done, and keep warm.

Cut the black pudding into thick slices. Let each brown in the pan in which you cooked the apples, turn over and brown the other side.

Meanwhile warm the cream and mustard in a small pan, season with salt and a few drops of white wine vinegar to taste. Serve the apples with the black pudding and spoon over a little of the sauce.

Devilled kidneys on toast

Serves 2

6 large lamb's kidneys

a little flour

cayenne pepper - a level teaspoon

dry English mustard - a level teaspoon

white wine, stock or white vermouth - a little

Worcestershire Sauce

2 rounds of hot toast

butter - 40g

Slice the kidneys in half, remove the tough white membrane with a pair of scissors. Mix the flour, cayenne and mustard with a good seasoning of salt and a little black pepper. Toss the kidneys in the seasoned flour.

Melt the butter in a shallow pan. Drop the kidneys into the butter once it starts to froth, then cook till they are lightly crusted on each side (2 or 3 minutes per side.) Add five or six shakes of Worcestershire Sauce, a good glug of wine or stock and leave to reduce for a minute or so. Serve the kidneys and pan juices on the hot toast.

Lamb's liver with fried onions and paprika

Serves 2

For the onions:

onions - 2 large ones

olive oil - a tablespoon

butter - a thick slice

For the liver:

lamb's liver - 300g, thinly sliced

a little flour

butter - 50g

sherry vinegar - 2 tablespoons

yoghurt - 4 tablespoons

chopped parsley - a small handful

ground paprika

Peel the onions, halve them and cut each half into thick segments, like an orange. Warm the oil and butter in a shallow pan and let the onion cook till it is thoroughly soft and sweet over a low to moderate heat. I take my time over this, letting the onion take its time, a good half hour or so. Once the onion is soft and translucent, set aside.

Season the flour with salt and black pepper then toss the liver in it. Melt the butter in a shallow pan (the one you cooked the onions in is fine) then lower in the liver. Let it sizzle, then turn over and cook the other side, it needs only a minute or two on each side. Divide the onions between two warm plates, top with the liver, then quickly pour the vinegar into the pan, swirl it round over the heat and scrape away at any tasty bits in the pan. Pour that over the liver. Spoon a little yoghurt over the liver, a little chopped parsley and a shake of paprika.

Chicken livers with bacon, red cabbage and cider vinegar

Serves 2

As main course salad

red cabbage - half a small one

ground nut oil - a tablespoon

juniper berries - 10

red wine vinegar - 2 tablespoons

For the chicken livers:

smoked streaky bacon - 200g

prepared chicken livers - 400g (soaked in milk for 30 minutes)

butter - 50g

cider vinegar - a tablespoon

Shred the red cabbage finely, about the width of fettucine. Warm the oil in a deep pan then add the cabbage, letting it sizzle briefly before turning down the heat and adding the lightly squashed juniper berries, a little salt and black pepper, and cover. Leave to simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, then pour in the vinegar. Continue to cook for 5-6 minutes with the heat low till the cabbage is soft but still bright in colour. Stir from time to time so that the cabbage doesn't burn. Turn off the heat, but keep the lid on.

To cook the chicken livers, drain the livers and pat them as dry as you can with kitchen paper. Warm the butter in a shallow pan, then add the bacon, cut into small pieces (the size of a postage stamp will do) and leave to sizzle till golden. Scoop out on to a piece of kitchen paper. Now add the livers, adding a wee bit more butter if necessary, taking care they do not spit. (Chicken livers have a nasty habit of popping wildly in the pan.) Season with salt and pepper.

Let them colour on one side then, as soon as they have formed a crust, turn them over. It is important to cook them quickly, so that the crust forms before the insides cook right through. Ideally they should be crusted on the outside and deep pink within.

Return the bacon to the pan, pour in the cider vinegar and leave to bubble for a few seconds. Toss them with the hot cabbage and serve on warm plates.

· Nigel Slater's Real Cooking, Real Fast Food, The 30-Minute Cook and Real Fast Puddings have just been republished by Penguin