Chicken Livers Onions Horseradish Recipes

CHICKEN LIVERS, ONIONS & HORSERADISH

Steps:

• CHICKEN LIVERS & PEARL ONIONS:.
• Clean the livers, removing fat, and connective tissue.
• Place in a non-reactive casserole or bowl with white wine, peppercorns, and bay leaf, and refrigerate, covered, in refrigerator for 6 hours.
• In medium sauce, heat olive oil and add the onions. Once browned, add a pinch of salt and enough water to cover the onions halfway, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until the onions fall apart, about 20 minutes. Drain the onions and place in food processor to pureé.
• Return the onion pureé to the pot and stir in the chicken, tomato paste, chopped parsley, and 1 tablespoon butter.
• Season with salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste, and keep warm.
• Drain the livers and discard bay leaf and peppercorns.
• In a 12-14" sauté pan, heat the remaining butter over high heat until it foams and subsides. Add the livers and sauté for 1 minute. Add the brandy and sauté for 1 minute more, then drain liquid from the pan and serve immeadiately with the onion sauce and horseradish sauce served over.
• HORSERADISH SAUCE:.
• In small bowl, combine the horseradish and apples, then stir in vinegar. Store up to 1 week, tightly sealed, in the refrigerator. Yield=3/4 cup.

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).

CHICKEN LIVERS WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Put onions in a large skillet over medium heat. Cover and cook, stirring infrequently, until onions are dry and almost sticking to pan, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in a tablespoon of oil or butter and a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of black pepper, add rosemary and turn heat down to medium-low. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates, about 15 minutes more. Remove vegetables from pan; set aside.
• Wipe pan with a paper towel, put it over medium-high heat and add remaining oil or butter. When oil is hot or foam from butter has subsided, add chicken livers. Keep heat high and cook livers quickly, turning them until brown and crisp on both sides but still pink on inside, about 3 or 4 minutes total. Remove from pan.
• Return vegetables to pan along with vinegar and 2 or 3 tablespoons water, just enough to deglaze; stir well to combine and serve with livers and crusty bread, or on toast.

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.

CHICKEN LIVERS WITH ONIONS AND SAGE

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a nonstick skillet, and add the onions, cloves, salt and pepper. Toss and stir over medium heat for about 10 minutes. The onions should be browned and soft. Discard the cloves; keep the onions warm.
• Pick over the chicken livers and remove any tough veins. Quarter the livers.
• Put the livers in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the flour and stir to coat well.
• Remove the livers to a baking sheet, separating them.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add half of the livers one at a time. Cook, turning the livers as they brown. One batch of livers takes about 4 to 5 minutes to cook. Drain the livers. Wipe out the skillet, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Cook the remaining livers the same way, then drain.
• Using the same skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat. Add the livers, cooked onions, sage, salt and pepper. Cook, shaking the skillet and tossing the livers so they will heat throughout. Add the vinegar, stir and blend well for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.