Liver 'n Onions

[In the Kitchen]

Does someone have good recipe for this? I want to fix with mashed potatoes. I always flavor with bacon grease to give good flavor. Thanks.

 

[choclatechef]

You are already on the right track with the bacon grease! Wonderful stuff.

My mother and I always would just season the liver with salt and pepper, and dredge in flour. A medium hot cast iron pan of bacon grease about 1/2 inch deep awaited it.

We would fry the liver til golden brown, and remove it to drain slightly. Then we would put seasoned slices of onions in the flour remaining from dredging the liver. Then the floured onions would go in the pan to fry golden brown.

Simple, but good.

 

[Ishbel]

Hi
Here's the way I cook liver and mashed potatoes. I generally only use calves liver, or at a push, lamb's liver - I don't like pig's liver... it has a kind of game-y taste to me, and I find it a bit too strong!

CALVES LIVER and ONIONS

This serves 2 - but we aren't big meat eaters in our family!

Three quarters pound/ one pound calf's liver (or lamb's liver if you can't find calves) sliced thinly
1 large onion, peeled, halved and sliced thinly
3 oz smoked bacon lardons
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 large sprigs of fresh thyme
1-2 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar (at a push you could use red wine vinegar)
Half pint (imperial) of water
1 stock cube (beef or vegetable)
1 tablespoon cornflour
Approx 1 oz butter (to fry liver)

1-2 tablespoons of plain flour seasoned with freshly ground pepper (the liver needs to be coated in this mixture. After you have washed it, pat it dry on kitchen roll and coat. I find it easiest to put the flour in a freezer bag and then just put the liver in the bag two or so pieces at a time. Trap some air in the bag, hold by the closed top and shake - voila, well-coated food!)

1 tablespoon of cornflour (you may need a little more - you will have to see if the 'sauce' is too runny, if so, simply slake off a little more cornflour)
Small knob of butter to fry liver (about an ounce or so)

Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onion, smoked bacon lardons, the garlic and the thyme. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Add liver (coated in seasoned flour) and brown for about five minutes - or until cooked. Slake the cornflour in a little of the water from the half-pint amount. Add the stock cube, balsamic vinegar plus the cornflour and the rest of the water to the pan. Bring back up to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with either plain, creamed, mashed potatoes - or with mashed tatties and neeps (my choice!) carrots and courgettes.

 

[In the Kitchen]

Aren't you people great? I have my choice of how to fix it. I know the bacon sure makes the difference instead of butter or oil. I also soaked it in buttermilk one time and that made change also. What is imperial water? Ishbel, what do you eat in place of meat for protein? I always feel person better off not to eat too much meat but since they don't like fish or eggs that leaves me little choice. Both fish and eggs are beneficial to your body but they get so upset if I want to try meal with them in it. I think we are missing something by not eating them. Hence, I fix hard boiled eggs for myself and have to ignore them.

 

[debthecook]

I fry liver in peanut oil. I make chopped liver:

1 container chicken liver
3 LARGE spanish onions
1 piece of beef liver
6 hard boiled eggs shelled
mayo
salt and pepper, LOTS of black pepper

Slice the spanish onions, fry in a generous quantity of peanut oil. Add livers, fry till done, add more oil if necessary. Put all including hard boiled eggs and oil hrough grinder. Add mayo, salt, pepper to make it creamier. Delicious on a Ritz cracker.

 

[Ishbel]

In the Kitchen
We eat meat - just not a lot of red meat (I eat more of that than my husband!) - but we seem to eat much smaller portions that Americans, juding by some of the recipes on here!

We eat a lot of fish, smoked and fresh - Scotland has a huge number of lochs and a long coastline.

We eat a lot of chicken - not a lot of pork - and some lamb.

Imperial is the measurement one Imperial pint is different from a US pint - and I'm always worrying that my recipes won't turn out correctly as the imperial measurements are diff to the US!!

 

[crewsk]

Kitchenelf posted this sticky over in Soups, Stews, & Cass. http://www.discusscooking.com/viewtopic.php?t=5792
This should help with the measurements!

 

[buckytom]

i like to fry irish, polish, or canadian bacon until it is just before crisp, still a little soft, then remove it and let it drain on paper towels. then i soften some sliced onions in the bacon fat, and they are removed and set aside. i pour off most of the bacon fat, then i add a little butter. in goes the liver that has been dredged in flour seasoned with s & p, paprika, and cayenne pepper, and the liver is fried until light brown.
plate the liver and top with the bacon and onions, serve with ketchup and a side of home fries, also fried in the bacon fat.

 

[lyndalou]

Egads! My arteries are clogging just reading these posts! Think I'll try to find me some calves liver today, haven't had it in years.
I make it with bacon and onions and serve with mashed potatoes. Yum

 

[In the Kitchen]

Thank you all so much for your shared recipes and comments. They are certainly great. We had it last nite and couldn't get enough of it. The aroma was even the best. Nothing can compare to this meal. We don't have it often but as I said your recipes sure encourage me to do it again. Always something different. Bacon is a must with the dish. As I said there didn't seem to to enough! Thanks again

 

[Lifter]

Sorry to be slow on response on this note!

I'm not supposed to eat liver, as its hard on the chloresteral thing...

But back when I could "revel" in this dish...

Lamb's liver ABSOLUTELY!! (yes you might have to ask around for it, but it is well worth it!) "Baby Beef" or Calves liver, as porl liver and steer liver are just too "gamey" outside of sausage...

The "onion" (please slow saute vidalia's!) and "bacon" coments are so "spot on"!!!

Not so sure on the others!

Please check out the "rolling the liver pieces" in onion powder, garlic powder BEFORE adulterating in flour...

LIGHTLY "pan-fry" to only "medium rare" (and no more, please!)...mashed potato makes a great accompaniment...

Funny, my beloved Mom fought with me for literally years, until she "gave up" and served me a pork chop, (and everyone else the overcooked liver!)...

When we got married, 25 years + ago, Margaret cooked liver, more or less as I describe, to my "delight", and its just "Fate" that neither of us should eat the stuff any more...but I can give you any sort of "liver" recipes" with lamb, goose, duck, chicken etc livers that we "spoiled ourselves with", right up until the chloresteral issues hit, and such things went from a "treat" to the "threat"...

Lifter

 

[In the Kitchen]

Lifter: so strange as soon as I post about liver I get told NOT to eat it because of the cholesterol issue. Should I just die happy or just die anyway? I sure don't want to suffer a stroke or anything to be burden on the family but at the same time why did people eat it without any word of cholesterol? My mom would not know what I was talking about but tell me to clean my plate anyway. She made liver all the time. Now I have to look for 'lamb liver' sounds even better. i like to eat things that satisfy. Don't you?

 

[Lifter]

It works right up until your wife has a stroke....

If you and yours have no chloresteral issues, I can't think why you shouldn't happily munch your way through a million miles of "liver", and I'd advise that lamb's liver is the VERY BEST!

Make sure you "undercook" it somewhat, as that's the most "deliscious", as "overcooked" its tough and leathery, and a pitiful waste of taste!

And if I was your young age, I'd be eating it too! Its only a "risk group" food after you hit 40 or 50...and get the chloresteral warnings from the Doctor...mind, if you are "pumping iron" and doing heavy "walks", you can probably get away with it...

DRAT! Can remember a superb meal of liver as you describe cooking in Hull Quebec, by a French Chef, about ten years ago that just melted in your mouth...and the nights where I'd do the "Iron Chef" thing in "stir fry" with chicken livers, onions, peppers, in my "wok" of that day...and that was CERTAINLY good!

Enjoy your "youth", and disregard these "aspersions" of middle to old age!

Go for it!

Lifter

 

[thumpershere2]

Liver and onions is a favorite of my hubbies. I usually have the liver in a bowl of milk with an egg whipped and then dredge it in flour with s/p and pan fry in bacon grease until a light golden brown. I then put it on a sheet pan and put in the oven at 350 for about 20 min to half hr. I then saute onions in bacon grease and serve over the liver. I serve with mashed potatoes or raw fries with onions.Also have made bar b q liver and that is good. Brown liver with the flour and then put in pan and add bar b q sauce. topped with lots of onions. Bake at 350. about 20 min to half hr or until tender. Either way you fix it the liver comes out very tender and tasty.

 

[Bangbang]

Chicken Livers are my favorite. There is a carryout joint here that makes Deepfried Livers and Gizzards. Yummy?

 

[masteraznchefjr]

Take sliced 1/4 onions, some soy sauce, pepper, and salt.
liver rolled around in a little corn startch

first "pan cook" the liver in a little canola oil until almost done. set aside

in another pan
first sautee the onions in oil i prefer conola oil until near soft, add in two cloves of crushed garlic
take soy sauce and pour in with onion let it simmer cover the pan
add in the liver and let it simmer and den salt and pepper it

 

[Claire]

Oh, YUM! I love liver, both chicken and calves, and Chocolate pretty much described how Mom did it (except she used margarine rather than bacon).

Mom also made a meal we called "lizards and gizzards". She'd save all the necks, livers, hearts, and gizzards from chickens (which we ate a lot of as it was a bargain when I was young). She'd boil them, and when tender, would strain out the meat, then boil egg noodles in the broth. At the last minute she'd throw in some mixed veggies, toss it all together, and it was one of my favorite meals.

As far as vegans getting protein, it really isn't that hard, but you do have to pay attention a little more than people who eat a bit of everything do. I once did an interview with a woman who came from a 3-generations vegetarian family, and she, her children, and her father were all vegans. No matter what you tell me it is more work to get the nutrition, but even so, it's mostly in the knowledge. I joked with her that I'm a confirmed omnivore, but when she threw vegan buffets, my dishes were always the hit, and never had those little screw ups you can do if you do not understand vegan. No worchestershire sauce (contains anchovy). No honey (a confirmed vegan not only does not eat animals, they don't eat animal products -- milk, honey, etc -- and do not wear leather). So it can be a chore. Calcium can also be a problem, but is easier to solve -- lots of dark green.

To me this turns eating into a chore, I could never do it. Don't think my vegan freinds are healthier than me. But differences are what make life fun.

 

[In the Kitchen]

I have got to tell you all this. I went to Whole Foods Market what I consider a pleasure. No better store that i know of. Some well dressed lady was standing at the meat counter asking the man for yearling liver. He said he didn't think they had any. She was insistent that he find out for sure. Lo and behold! he had some. He told her $12 pound. She said fine. He handed her the package and said 'my puppies will love you'. I almost fell over. I do not want to deny the puppies anything they are well worth their weight in gold to me and I know all lovers everywhere. But I don't know about $12 pound. The liver did look good and I wanted to buy some but not in budget at this time of year. It simply shocked me because of the way she insisted he check for her to see if he had any. I thought she had read this thread of something? Nope, for her puppies. Hope she makes it right. Never know do you?

 

[mudbug]

OMG. I wouldn't even pay $12 a pound for meat (and certainly not on liver) for humans!!

Those puppies better be worth it, or that lady has more money than brains.

 

[In the Kitchen]

mudbug: happy to know you agree with me. I was by myself and couldn't ask anyone if they thought the same thing. I did get a roasting chicken which they claim is Amish (no hormones) or whatever. I just feel people should try to eat things in natural state. Not some kind of 'growing fast' addition. Everything I buy is in question. But the liver really got me.