I was feeling a little experimented out last night, so instead of cooking something new I ate leftover hasenpfeffer for dinner. I still had half a pound of calf’s liver in the fridge, though, and with Lisa flying home this afternoon I wanted to get rid of it in time to let any lingering offal fumes dissipate. So, breakfast:
The liver came pre-sliced in two four-ounce pieces, so I decided to try two slightly different recipes. The first, suggested by commenter Inken Schuster, was just a straight-up fry in some olive oil, with sauteed onions. The second, from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything, has you cut the liver into small pieces and dredge it in flour before frying, and serve with a bit of lemon.
Somewhat to my surprise, I liked both recipes. Because liver is another organ meat, I was expecting it to be similar to spleen, but the texture is much closer to a muscle cut, with a bitter-smoky flavor. I thought it was good, although there’s a lingering aftertaste—clenbuterol, perhaps?—that I’m not so fond of.
My final verdict: Surprisingly tasty. I doubt I’ll make a habit of it—there are cheaper cuts of meat that taste just as good fried—but as a once-in-a-while thing, sure.
…and now I will leave my assistant to relax with the paper while I run out to buy normal food for Lisa’s return.