Liver

[YetiDave]

Is anyone else here a fan of it? What do you use it for? I've been on a bit of an Italian food kick and have gone back to try and master a few of the (deceptively) basics - pasta all'amatriciana, carbonara, pasta alla gricia and most recently ragu alla bolegnese. Each one I've been trying to make as authentically Italian as I possible can (which has lead to me curing both pig jowls for guanciale and belly for pancetta) and I saw a few recipes mention chicken livers for the bolegnese. I've never really cooked too much with them before and my last dabble was with dirty rice which was okay, but in bolegnese they really seem to shine and add a great depth to the sauce, so much so that I'm tempted to try using beef or chicken liver in a chilli for extra richness

 

[Luc]

Let the Hannibal in you come out!

I make some pâté when I have cheese and wine. I usually roast the liver with a bit of garlic, spring onions and cognac. I sometimes add mushrooms too. I blend everything until it's a smooth paste. I did that with white wine instead of cognac also and it was nice.

I had liver in tacos before, pretty good and different.

 

[Mick]

Oh yea, next to bacon, liver is one of my favorites.

In fact

Bacon wrapped calf or beef liver fried with onions is a killer

Chicken livers breaded and fried are top shelf too.

Just can't do it all the time but once every couple of months does the trick to keep me off the streets searching for it

 

[Curly]

Not to butt in, but is the texture supposed to be somewhat 'grainy'? That's what turns me off of liver....

 

[nano]

Well, chicken liver and veal/beef liver are quite different.
If you mince a bit of chicken liver in the ragù, it can add a sweet flavour to the sauce. Good for fettuccine and risotto.
You can try to cook chicken hearts and livers with butter and sage and eat them on a loaf of bread.
Veal/beef liver. I like them cooked in a pan full of onions: the so called "fegato alla veneziana".

 

[YetiDave]

Not to butt in, but is the texture supposed to be somewhat 'grainy'? That's what turns me off of liver....

Honestly I'm not that keen on liver 'as is' so with this I browned it with the pancetta, chopped it up really finely then mixed it back in with onions and garlic, sweated it all off then added the beef in to brown; you wouldn't even know liver was in there

Edit: At least I hope you wouldn't know, my girlfriend's being my guinea pig later

 

[Samurai-5]

Yes, yes and yes. Foie Gras, Beef liver and Onions (with bacon), and almost any Pate'

 

[ShankS]

Follow Antonio Carluccios pasta ribbons with chicken liver sauce recipe, it's awesome
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pasta_ribbons_with_33870

 

[Wishoot]

Oh yea, next to bacon, liver is one of my favorites.

In fact

Bacon wrapped calf or beef liver fried with onions is a killer

Chicken livers breaded and fried are top shelf too.

Just can't do it all the time but once every couple of months does the trick to keep me off the streets searching for it

^^^^^^^^^^Totally This^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Oh yea, next to bacon, liver is one of my favorites.

In fact

Bacon wrapped calf or beef liver fried with onions [and garlic], is a killer

Chicken livers breaded and fried are top shelf too.

Mick:

...the Mrs. and I couldn't agree with you more!

"Is life worth living? It depends on the liver". William James

 

[oc_in_fw]

My grandfather made a killer liver and onions- I wish I had paid more attention (and had my grandparents cast iron pans)

 

[john parker]

Best I ever had was in the officers' mess at COMNAVSOUTH on the island of Nisida off Bagnoli. Very thinly sliced calf's liver quickly seared on a flat stove top! Delicious!!! Did have the more traditional Italian liver and onions, but this seared one was just perfect!!

 

[Indigo3]

Liver goes grainy when it's over-cooked so try and leave it a little pink.

A particular favorite of mine is flash fried chicken livers (browned but still pink) smashed onto some crustini with a drizzle of balsamic

 

[cody6766]

There isn't much that beats sliced foie gras seasoned with a little salt, seared just enough to add a crust and then finished lightly with pepper and garlic powder. The seasonings should be used sparingly as the foie pretty much stands on its own. It's like meat butter and oh so good.

 

[garyg]

Liver was apparently quite economical in the fifties, some of my least fond memories of Nan's cooking were of leathery liver.

That said, dinner on opening night in deer camp is always venison liver with onions. It is such a tradition that even if no deer fall to our hands that glorious day, there somehow appears deer liver for dinner ..

 

[steelcity2]

Calves liver dredged is seasones flour and cooked in a skillet with butter is tasty. Cheap as well.

 

[professorchaos]

Fried chicken livers & pepper jelly; duck liver mousse; Sherried livers; calf liver with onions and madeira; Braunschweiger; dirty rice (chicken livers). I haven't met a liver I don't like. Except my own, apparently.

Deviled lamb's kidneys anyone?

 

[oc_in_fw]

Deviled lamb's kidneys anyone?

Never had them, but am willing to give them a try. Is this anything like deviled ham (which I love)?

 

[professorchaos]

I've never had deviled ham! Is vinegar, mustard, cayenne pepper and cream involved?

 

[oc_in_fw]

I've never had deviled ham! Is vinegar, mustard, cayenne pepper and cream involved?

Well, cayenne is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deviled_ham