Ewww! Liver?!?
Wrong. Well, you're right...it IS liver. But, ewww?
No.
In fact, it was awesome. I always tell people who are reluctant to eat offal (or 'guts' as I like to call them) that ANYTHING can be made to taste good in the hands of someone who knows how to work with it. This recipe is no exception.
This is another offering from Thomas Keller, widely considered the best chef in America. There are a couple of components here to work with, but the payoff.... wow.
The red wine jus which goes over the top would be at home on top of a nice, grilled steak. The figs provide a nice sweet punch in contrast with the iron-richness of the liver, the saltiness of the bacon and sweetness of the caramelized onions.
NOTE: When you use a WHOLE BOTTLE of wine to cook something, there's nowhere to hide. If it is 'cheap' wine, your dish will come out tasting 'cheap'. Cook with something you would feel happy drinking.
Red Wine Jus
1 bottle red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup Spanish onion, diced
1 cup carrot, sliced
1 cup leeks, sliced
1 cup shallot, sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
3 sprigs thyme
6 sprigs parsley
2 bay leaf
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
5 cups Veal Stock (chicken stock will work in a pinch)
Combine all the ingredients except the stock in wide heavy saucepan or pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45-50 minutes, or until the wine has reduced almost to a glaze.
Add the veal stock, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Prepare an ice bath. Strain the jus several times through a fine-mesh strainer or a colander lined with cheesecloth. Cool in the ice bath, stirring occasionally. (Refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.) When ready to use, reduce down to a glaze consistency and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Liver and Onion with Figs
SACHET
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
4 whole cloves
1 sprig thyme
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
FIGS
12 black mission figs
½-¾ cup dry red wine
1 stick cinnamon
GARNISHES
8 thin slices bacon
4 ounces piece slab bacon
20 small cipollini onions, peeled
Canola oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, skin left on, smashed
½ cup Chicken Stock (page 317)
LIVER
4x8 ounces pieces calves' liver
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour
Canola oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 sprigs thyme
4 garlic cloves, skin left on
1 tablespoon minced chives
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
4 sprigs chervil
1 cup Red Wine Jus (page 323), warmed
FOR THE SACHET: Place the bay leaf, star anise, cloves, thyme, and black peppercorns on a piece of cheesecloth and tie into a sachet with kitchen twine.
FOR THE FIGS: Place the sachet and stand the figs in a saucepan that holds the figs snugly in one layer, add enough red wine to come one-third of the way up the figs, and add the cinnamon stick. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the figs are soft. Transfer the figs, wine, sachet, and cinnamon to a bowl or another container. (The figs can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.)
FOR THE BACON: Preheat the oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a rack over the pan. Place the strips of bacon on the rack and bake for 15 -20 minutes, or until crisp. Remove from the oven and allow the bacon to sit on the rack for about 15 minutes to drain.
Meanwhile, trim away and discard the rind ftom the slab of bacon. Cut into lardons 1 1/2 inches long and 3/8 inches thick. Spread the lardons in a single layer in an ovenproof nonstick pan and place in the oven for about 10 minutes. Stir the Iardons and return to the oven for another 10 to 20 minutes, or until just cooked. Drain on paper towels.
FOR THE CIPOLLINI: Use a paring knife to score an X in the root end of each onion. Heat an ovenproof skillet that will hold the onions in a single layer over medium-high heat, then add a thin film of oil and the butter. When the butter has browned, add the onions, season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the thyme and garlic. Cook, tossing the onions with the seasonings, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until a rich, golden brown. Add the stock to the skillet and place in the oven to cook for about 15 minutes. Turn the onions and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until tender when poked with a paring knife. Remove from the oven and leave the oven on.
TO COMPLETE: Pat the pieces of liver dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper and dredge lightly in flour. Pat to remove any excess flour.
Heat a thin film of canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. (It is important that the skillet be large enough to hold the liver without crowding or it may steam rather than saute.) When the oil is hot, add the butter and let it brown, then turn the heat down to medium, add the liver, and saute for about 2 minutes, or until the underside is a rich, golden brown. Turn the liver and saute for another minute, using a spoon to baste the liver with the oil and butter. Place the sprigs of thyme over the pieces of liver, baste again, and transfer the liver to a baking pan; set the skillet aside. Remove the figs from the liquid and place alongside the liver and top each piece of liver with a garlic clove.
Transfer the baking pan to the oven to cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the liver is medium-rare.
Meanwhile, drain the fat from the skillet and add the cipollini. Saute over medium heat just to add a little color and rewarm the onions. Reduce the heat and add the lardons to the skillet to heat through.
Return the sliced bacon to the oven to rewarm as necessary.
At the last minute, toss the chives and parsley into the onions.
TO SERVE: Arrange the onions, figs, and lardons on serving plates. Discard the thyme and garlic on top of the liver, arrange a piece of liver on each plate, and crisscross 2 pieces of bacon over each piece. Garnish each with a sprig of chervil and spoon the red wine jus around the plates.
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