Liver and Onions With A Twist

OK, Liver is not for everybody and I’m not trying to convert you to being a liver lover.  But if you do like it you have probably burned your share and eaten it the same way (cooked together with onions and bacon) forever.  Here is a little twist that isn’t complicated and will make you love it even more.  Besides, if you read this over you may find that it doesn’t have to be burned all the time.

Ingredients:

·         1/3 cup      Flour

·         ½ tsp         Paprika

·         ½ tsp         Garlic salt (I often use minced garlic to taste)

·         ½ tsp         Salt

·         1/8 tsp       Black pepper

·         1 lb            Beef or calves liver

·         3 Tbl          Butter or Margarine

·         1 Tbl          Vegetable oil

·         3 cups        White wine (use something you would drink.  Don’t get that wine for cooking stuff since that is often wine that wont sell)

·         2 Tbl          Parsley chopped

·         1 Tbl          Lemon juice

·         ½ tsp         Sage, dried and crushed

·         Parsley sprigs

·         Bacon, optional

Directions:

1.            Combine the flour, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper on a plate

2.            Quarter and thinly slice the onions.  Put them on the side for use later

3.            Measure out the wine.  I normally taste it first but between the two of us I do this because I like the taste.

4.            Pat the liver dry with a new paper towel.  Napkins don’t work very well

5.            Trim the liver of tough membranes and veins

6.            Cut the liver into smaller pieces of about 3 x 1 ½ inches

7.            Dredge the liver in the flour mixture and set aside (when I have to coat a meat like in a schnitzel, I usually dredge it, put it on a plate, and refrigerate for a few minutes.  Nothing to long)

8.            Wash off the first dish and keep it for later

9.            Put the oil and 1 Tablespoon of butter/margarine into a large skillet and heat over medium high heat

10.        Put the liver into the skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side.  You don’t want it to be red in the middle but then you don’t want it to be black on the outside either

11.        Take the liver out and put it on the dish you used first and washed off

12.        If I am going to use bacon this is the step where I cook it.  You can cook it in the skillet or microwave it until almost done.  Then take it out and add it back when you put in the liver.

13.        Melt the remaining butter/margarine in the skillet which is still on medium high heat.  If you are adding bacon you can reduce the butter/margarine by the amount of fat from the bacon

14.        Cook the onions for 5 minutes at which time they should be nice and tender

15.        Reduce the heat to low and give it a minute to cool

16.        Put the liver back into the skillet and add the wine, chopped parsley, lemon juice, and sage.

17.        Cook and stir for about 2 minutes so it is heated through.

18.        Serve.