O is For Offal ...
... which isn't so AWFUL at all. (Sorry for aw... err BAD pun.)
Offal is the entrails or internal organs of an animal. Probably the least objectionable offal that people have tried are giblets which are the gizzard, heart, kidney and liver of poultry like chickens and turkeys. My mother cooked both beef and chicken livers when I was growing up, but chicken livers were my favourite. My mother served them with a sauteed mixture of spinach and rice. Not something most kids would enjoy, but I thought they were both delicious.
ETA: Here's an elegant way to serve the humble chicken livers ... over creamy, cheesy polenta/mamaliga/cornmeal mush. Add a mimosa (champagne and orange juice, or sparkling wine if you're on a budget) and a slice of tiramisu for dessert and you don't need to go to a fancy restaurant for fine dining.
Below is the sort of meal my mom would put on the table ... chicken livers fried in a bit of vegetable oil with sauteed onions. The spinach was also prepared quite simply and combined with cooked long grain rice. I used some leftover sushi rice, in this case, but it was (amost) as good as what she made.
Sauteed Chicken Livers and Spinach Rice
These "Crispy Spiced Chicken Livers" dredged in flour are a different take on the simple liver dish above and may be served as an appetizer at a party.
Crispy Spiced Chicken Livers - serves 4 as an appetizer
1 pound chicken livers, trimmed and patted dry
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4-1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup-3/4 all purpose flour, for dredging
Begin by trimming the chicken livers (strings) and cutting them into evenly sized pieces (about 2-3 inches long). Pat dry with paper towels and set aside in a glass bowl.
Add spices to the bowl and mix through with a spoon.
Place the flour in a shallow dish that will be used for dredging. Use a fork to toss the sliced liver gently through the flour.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 2-3 tablespoons oil to the pan.
Toss 1/3 of the chicken livers in the flour mixture until well coated, shake off excess flour through your fingers and gently place the livers one by one in the frying pan so that they are not crowded.
Cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes. Gently flip with 2 forks and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. Try not to keep moving them around so you don’t disturb the crust.
Remove to a wire rack to cool and repeat until all of the livers are cooked. (If you put them onto a paper towel lined baking sheet, the crispy chicken liver strips will get soggy as I learned, unfortunately.)
NOTE: You could probably also use cornmeal to dredge the chicken livers for an even crunchier, southern style dish.
Offal is the entrails or internal organs of an animal. Probably the least objectionable offal that people have tried are giblets which are the gizzard, heart, kidney and liver of poultry like chickens and turkeys. My mother cooked both beef and chicken livers when I was growing up, but chicken livers were my favourite. My mother served them with a sauteed mixture of spinach and rice. Not something most kids would enjoy, but I thought they were both delicious.
ETA: Here's an elegant way to serve the humble chicken livers ... over creamy, cheesy polenta/mamaliga/cornmeal mush. Add a mimosa (champagne and orange juice, or sparkling wine if you're on a budget) and a slice of tiramisu for dessert and you don't need to go to a fancy restaurant for fine dining.
Below is the sort of meal my mom would put on the table ... chicken livers fried in a bit of vegetable oil with sauteed onions. The spinach was also prepared quite simply and combined with cooked long grain rice. I used some leftover sushi rice, in this case, but it was (amost) as good as what she made.
Sauteed Chicken Livers and Spinach Rice
These "Crispy Spiced Chicken Livers" dredged in flour are a different take on the simple liver dish above and may be served as an appetizer at a party.
Crispy Spiced Chicken Livers - serves 4 as an appetizer
1 pound chicken livers, trimmed and patted dry
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4-1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup-3/4 all purpose flour, for dredging
Begin by trimming the chicken livers (strings) and cutting them into evenly sized pieces (about 2-3 inches long). Pat dry with paper towels and set aside in a glass bowl.
Add spices to the bowl and mix through with a spoon.
Place the flour in a shallow dish that will be used for dredging. Use a fork to toss the sliced liver gently through the flour.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add 2-3 tablespoons oil to the pan.
Toss 1/3 of the chicken livers in the flour mixture until well coated, shake off excess flour through your fingers and gently place the livers one by one in the frying pan so that they are not crowded.
Cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes. Gently flip with 2 forks and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes on the other side. Try not to keep moving them around so you don’t disturb the crust.
Remove to a wire rack to cool and repeat until all of the livers are cooked. (If you put them onto a paper towel lined baking sheet, the crispy chicken liver strips will get soggy as I learned, unfortunately.)
NOTE: You could probably also use cornmeal to dredge the chicken livers for an even crunchier, southern style dish.