The Afterbirth

Placenta. Is it delicious? Is it cannibalism? Is it good for you?

Science Mum and I decided we'd eat it. We'd taken a big tupperware into the hospital deliberately, and a few days after the birth we decided we were ready to try it.

A placenta. Looks pretty horrible, but tastes great!

Firstly, let's be clear that there is probably no good scientific reason to eat it. Science Mum has a very healthy diet, rich in iron and protein as well as all other essential food groups, vitamins and minerals. Although packed with goodness, the placenta would not offer any significant nutritional benefits.

All this nonsense about drying it out and supplementing your diet with placenta in capsule form is surely pointless. And definitely not nearly as fun.

However, it seems like a waste not to eat it. It's free, it's got a very low carbon footprint and it's free range (not organic though). All other mammals eat theirs, so why not humans?

It was actually delicious, even our vegetarian friends ate some. A lot of people asked us:

• "Was it like liver?",
• "Was it chewy and gristly?",
• "Did it have a strong taste?"

The answer to all of these questions was no. Due to the high blood content, it had a consistency more like black-pudding than liver. It didn't have a strong smell or taste, and was actually remarkably succulent and tender.

Here are some of the recipes we tried...

Pan-fried Placenta

Ingredients Placenta Flour Butter Soy sauce Onion Garlic Bacon Mushrooms Parsley

Method Soften the onions by cooking oh so slowly in a heavy-based frying pan. Cut the placenta into little chunks and coat with flour (it keeps the juices in and avoids it going dry). Cut the bacon into little pieces. Turn up the heat, add a little more oil and fry the placenta with the softened onions and bacon, adding a splash of soy sauce for extra flavour if desired. Add the butter and garlic when the meat has gone crispy, wait until the garlic has softened, then add the mushrooms. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Placenta Pate

Ingredients Placenta Butter Onion Garlic

Method Sterilise the blender and ramekins that you are going to store the pate in - hygiene is essential. Soften the onions by cooking oh so slowly in a heavy-based frying pan. Cut the placenta into little chunks, season and and fry gently with the onions. In a separate pan, melt some butter. When the meat has cooked through, blend it all to a smooth paste, adding the melted butter to achieve your preferred consistency. Pour into the ramekins and top with more melted butter to keep any germs out. Refrigerate until set.