Chicken Livers And Onions Venetian Style Recipes

CHICKEN LIVERS AND ONIONS, VENETIAN STYLE

Steps:

• Mix the raisins and vinegar together and set aside.
• Trim the livers of any membranes or connective tissue. Cut the pairs in half, making all the pieces as uniform as possible. Pat the livers dry on paper towels.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet. Add onions and saute slowly, over low heat, until golden and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl, draining as much of the oil as possible into skillet.
• Increase the heat to high, add the livers and cook them very quickly, moving them around in the oil, for three to five minutes until they begin to brown but are still pink inside. Season with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle with sage and wine and the raisins and vinegar. Reduce heat to low, return onions to pan, mix them in to reheat. Serve liver and onions moistened with the pan juices.

VENETIAN LIVER AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1/2 teaspoon sage and sauté until onion is tender and brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Discard garlic.
• Combine flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and remaining 1/2 teaspoon sage in bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pat liver dry. Add liver to flour mixture and toss to coat. Add butter to garlic oil and melt over medium-high heat. Add liver and stir until beginning to brown on outside but still pink inside, about 3 minutes. Add onions and sauté until liver is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley.

SAUTéED CHICKEN LIVERS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Put the raisins in a bowl with warm water to cover, so they plump up for a few minutes.
• Slice the onions in half and then crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick half moons (see photo, page 28). Put 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 of butter in one of the skillets and set it over medium heat. As the butter melts, stir in the onions, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and drop in the bay leaves. Shake the pan and turn the onions as they heat and start to sizzle, then lower the heat slightly and cook the onions slowly as they gradually wilt and start to color, stirring and tossing them occasionally.
• After 15 minutes or so, when the onions are deep gold all over, raise the heat a bit, pour in the vinegar, and cook for a minute, stirring the onions in the vinegar as it steams and evaporates. Drain the raisins, and gently squeeze out the excess liquid; scatter them in the skillet and toss together with the onions. Now lower the heat, and continue cooking the onions until they're as dark and caramelized as you want them be. Turn off the heat, and let the onions rest in the hot pan.
• While the onions are cooking, clean the livers (I do this on paper towels): with a paring knife remove all the fat, veins, and membranes, and slice the livers into separate lobes. Rinse them well, then pat dry with fresh paper towels. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and grind pepper on all surfaces of the livers.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 of butter in the second skillet, over medium-high heat, until the butter is melted and foaming. Before the butter begins to color, lay the livers in the pan, without crowding them. With the heat high, cook the livers for 2 minutes or a bit more, until they're browned and crisped on the underside, then turn them over (in the order in which you put them in the pan). Cook about 2 minutes on the second side, until they are nicely crisped all over, and lift them-a couple at a time-with a spider or slotted spoon; let the oil drain off, and place them in the first, warm skillet, next to the onions. Don't overcook the livers: they should still be slightly pink inside when you move them. Taste a piece and season with more salt and pepper if you want.
• If you will be serving right away, heap the onions on top of the livers, then spoon onions and liver together onto warm serving plates. If serving is delayed, leave the onions and livers in separate parts of the pan so the livers don't get soggy. Smother the livers with onions when you serve.
• Some piping-hot Basic Polenta (page 215), or grilled polenta (page 216).
• Poached Whole Zucchini with Lemon and Olive Oil (page 237).
• Skillet-Cooked Broccoli (page 277) or Skillet Cauliflower (page 268).

LIVER WITH ONIONS AND VINEGAR (FEGATO ALLA VENEZIANA)

Steps:

• Trim liver of veins and membranes. Cut on the diagonal into wide, 1/4-inch slices.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet. Fry the onions in the butter over medium heat, stirring often, until nicely browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and vinegar. Set aside.
• Dredge liver pieces with seasoned flour, and shake off excess. In a second large skillet, melt the clarified butter over high heat, and when very hot, drop in the liver pieces, a few at a time. Fry 30 seconds or so on each side. Remove to a serving dish. Liver should still be raw in the center.
• When all liver pieces have been fried, place the onions in the skillet containing the liver juices and reheat the onions thoroughly, stirring often. Add the liver to the onions, toss briefly to heat through, and turn out onto the serving dish. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

CHICKEN LIVER AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Clean liver.
• Sauté onions in 2 tablespoons oil.
• Add bullion cubes and pepper, garlic and liver.
• Cook low covered for 20 minutes.
• For gravy, use starch and water with pan drippings.
• Add angora bitters to gravy.