How to Prepare Baby Calfs on the Stove

My adopted country has a longstanding beloved thing with liver and onions. Preferably served with butter-laden mashed potatoes.

More oft than not, the liver served is either pig, beef or lamb, which are not my favourite. In fact, I don't like them. Calf's liver on the other paw… ah… now that's another story. That's a much more than delicate proposition.

I had my first sense of taste of the unusual combo of calf'due south liver and lime at a Raymond Blanc Brasserie in Cheltenham many years ago. At the fourth dimension, there were only a few of those in the land, and then the opportunity to taste affordable brasserie food from this famous Michelin star French chef was a real treat.

The lime beautifully cut through the richness of the meat. I remember the joyous surprise of it to this twenty-four hour period. Then seeing a recipe for calf's liver and lime by bad-boy Marco Pierre White in his 90's book "White Oestrus", I couldn't wait to get in. Especially equally Raymond was one of Marco'due south mentors, so the likelihood of the flavours existence similar… I was salivating.

I have no idea why it somewhen took me fifteen years to finally attempt it. Then much to cook, then little fourth dimension. But since I cooked it that first fourth dimension, it is my go-to recipe for calf'south liver ever since.

Of course I also need guests that appreciate calf'due south liver. Non everyone is a fan. Or at least so they think. If you are ane of those people that think you don't like liver, but have never tried calf's liver, I strongly suggest y'all give this a go. Yous may be pleasantly surprised, especially with the refreshing add-on of lime.

Marco'southward recipe suggests 5 mm thin-cutting tranches of calf's liver. I prefer mine thicker at about 1.five cm. Not always easy to come by in England, as it is non a very popular meat and it's often sold wafer-thin. Thicker pieces are more practical in the home kitchen though, equally they tend to be smaller for the same weight, so you can fit 4 portions into one large frying pan. A thicker cut also increases the chances  for an apprentice dwelling cook like myself to cook information technology just rosé pink. Over-cooking calf's liver is a punishable crime in my book.

Enter Donald Russell. Not my guest, I'll have you know, merely my favourite UK online butcher. I am not paid to say this, by the manner, as I am not commercially tied to anyone to promote annihilation. But their meat, including their dogie's liver, is superb and cut just that little bit thicker. I'thou sure a good local butcher can help you also.

If you can't get hold of calf's liver, experience free to use squealer, beef or lamb. Only you volition probable need to adjust the cooking time accordingly, as those may exist thicker cutting and by their nature need to be cooked a touch longer. I suggest you soak squealer's, beef, or lamb's liver in milk for minimum two hours or overnight before cooking too. This removes any bitter taste. An one-time fox I learned from mum. A good dogie's liver doesn't need information technology.

Marco serves his calf's liver and lime merely with a heap of baby leeks. Nine per person to exist exact. No mash. Only I like to pay homage to the British classic of liver, brew and onion. I discover a standard potato mash likewise heavy hither though, and information technology doesn't beloved the zesty lime. As  liver and onions is often served with cabbage, I usually opt for a generous dollop of my celeriac and savoy cabbage vanquish instead. It has a little tater in information technology, but not too much. Perfect.

And just to amuse you, cheque out these youtube clips of a young Marco Pierre White in the late 80's. He cooks the very buttery onions at the end of the first clip, and the liver at the starting time of the second clip, minus the lime and the oven finish. Don't miss the parking endeavor of the yellow car and the curious kid outside the window at about 6 mins into the second clip. Gordon Ramsey makes a silent appearance too. Enjoy!

THE RECIPE

Calf's Liver With Lime, Caramelized  Onions And Baby Leeks (serves iv – GF LC RSF)

This pretty much mimics the original recipe in "White Oestrus", merely I've reduced the amount of butter and made a few changes forth the way. The volume as well suggests an optional garnish of caramelized lime zest, which I never bother with. It adds nothing to the dish in exchange for the extra hassle in my opinion.

Use GF flour such equally buckwheat if yous need this dish to be gluten free.

Ingredients

iv tranches of dogie's liver, about 150-175 gr each, preferably i.5 cm thickness

(GF) flour for dusting the liver (optional)

i one/2 tbsp antiseptic butter or ghee

i whole lime

juice of i lime

iv shallots, finely chopped

ane/2 tbsp butter

1 tomato, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled whacked with the back of a cook's knife

1-two tsp unrefined sugar such as coconut palm sugar

1 bay leaf

3 tsp sherry, balsamic or wine vinegar

150 ml port

300 ml dry out white vermouth, preferably Noilly Prat

a sprig of fresh parsley

ii sprigs of fresh thyme

600 ml good chicken stock, or half and half chicken and veal stock if you can get it

two-3 large onions, thinly sliced (I used a mixture of red and white)

8-12 babe leeks

S&P

celeriac and savoy cabbage crush or your favourite mash to serve

Method

The sauce:  Skin ane of the limes, cutting away the bitter white pith likewise. Over a basin to take hold of the juices, cutting the lime segments from between the membranes. Retain the core. Cutting the segments into 2 or iii pieces and gear up aside. Ready the juice and the cadre aside as well.

Melt one/2 tbsp butter in a pan over medium heat. Sweat the shallots for about 3-v mins. Add the tomato plant and 1 garlic clove. Sweat for a further minute or then, then add i tsp sugar, the bay leaf and 2 tsp vinegar. Cook for 5 mins or until caramelized.

Add the juice from the segmented lime. Squeeze the core of the lime over the pan too and add the core.  Stir and melt until reduced away. Add together the port and cook until reduced past half. Add together the vermouth and the parsley and again cook until reduced by half.

Add together a sprig of thyme and the stock. Turn the heat downward to depression and let the sauce simmer away for an hour or until both the taste and thickness are to your liking. Check the seasoning midway through and adjust to taste with more lime juice and sugar if needed. Check the seasoning again at the end. And so strain through a fine sieve and set aside.

The onions: Cook 1/ii tbsp antiseptic butter in a large not-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 3-five mins or then until translucent. Add together the other sprig of thyme and the other clove of garlic. Cook for anther 5 mins or so or until starting to nicely brown at the edges.

Season and add 1/2 tsp sugar and ane tsp vinegar, stir and continue to cook for about 5 mins until nicely browned and caramelized, but not cremated. They should all the same retain wet. Check the seasoning, suit with saccharide or vinegar, cook for another minute or and so and set aside.

The leeks: Steam, microwave or blanch the leeks until al dente.  Season and set aside.

When set up to serve:

Oestrus the oven to 220 C

Reheat the mash, onions and sauce while you terminate the leeks and cook the liver, either in a microwave or gently over low heat on the hob or in a medium oven if you lot have the luxury of two ovens.

Finishing the leeks: cook 1/2 tbsp clarified butter in a not-stick frying pan over medium-loftier heat. When foaming, add the leeks and ii tbsp water or stock. Toss the leeks until well coated, check the seasoning and simmer on low until glazed and warmed through

The liver: Melt 1/2 tbsp antiseptic butter in a large not-stick ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. Season the liver on both sides and grit in flour, patting the backlog off earlier adding to the pan. Fry for 30 secs on each side, seasoning as you go.

Transfer the pan to the hot oven and cook for a farther 2-4 mins depending on thickness. Meanwhile cut the lime segments into 2 or 3 pieces and gently rut in a small-scale pan for a infinitesimal or so. Don't forget them and cook them to mush like I did, doesn't wait great in the pics, but they all the same tasted bang-up.

Remove the liver from the oven and remove  from the pan to a heated plate to cover with foil if the residual of the garnishes aren't quite ready yet. Leaving them in the pan would surely overcook them. Ideally you lot'd have everything ready immediately when the liver comes out of the oven.

To serve: spoon some caramelized onion onto one side of each plate. Spoon some mash on the other side. Top the mash with 2-iii infant leeks each. Top the onions with a tranche of liver. Spoon a little sauce over and around the liver. Serve the balance of the sauce in a sauce boat at the table (admittedly, mine was and then reduced I had piddling to manus round at the table, only there was enough on the plates).

Lastly top each tranche of liver with a few lime segments. Or lime mush in my case.

Leftovers

Stir-fry a handful of bacon or pancetta lardons in a non-stick frying pan or wok. Add together any leftover savoy cabbage and a crushed clove of garlic.  Add together a splash of water or stock if needed to keep the mixture moist and wilt the cabbage. Season with plenty of black pepper (you won't need much if whatsoever common salt due to the bacon or pancetta). Grate in a footling nutmeg. Serve with any leftover liver and sauce.

Leftovers of the stir-fried cabbage and bacon brand a nice brunch or dejeuner dish:

Lightly grease a ramekin or pocket-size oven dish (mine used to be a paté dish from a supermarket) with butter, oil or coconut oil.  Whisk one egg and seasoning with a fork. Briefly soak sliced bread to  line the lesser of your dish.

Stir the rest of the egg through left over cabbage and bacon. Top the bread with the cabbage and bacon.

Acme with another egg. Season, scatter with some chopped fresh herbs if yous've got them and bake at 180 C until set and golden. If the yolk cooks likewise quickly, comprehend with an alu foil hat and turn the oven down to 160 C.

Serve with bread or a salad garnish. I used left-over apple tree and cucumber dressing for the salad.

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Source: https://www.thedutchfoodie.com/calfs-liver-lime-leek/

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