Best Crisp Lemon Calf Liver Recipes

CALF LIVER AND ONIONS LOUISIANA-STYLE

Steps:

• Wash liver, put in a zip bag with milk and put in the ice box for an hour or so.
• Remove liver from bag, season with salt and pepper. Dust the liver with flour in a pan and leave them in the flour.
• In a medium sized skillet, sauté the onions in butter until slightly brown and remove and drain Drain any leftover butter in a cup. While doing this, dust the liver once more and set on a plate. Let the liver rest a few minutes.
• Add the cooking oil to the same pan and heat until ready to fry inches Put two or three pieces of liver in the oil leaving a 1" space between each. Keep the oil at a good temperature to maintain frying. Fry liver on each side until golden brown and remove. You are not trying to fully cook it, just brown it.
• Take the liver out, put it a plate and cover it with foil. Pour the oil out into the the cup with the butter in it to make about 1/4 cup; pour this back in the pan and put on a medium fire. Add enough flour to make a small medium brown roux. Add chicken stock (or water) enough to make the roux a medium thickness. Be sure to boil this and sprinkle some garlic powder in it.
• Remove roux and in the same pan return liver, onions (regular and green) and roux. Cook on medium fire for about 15 minutes (stirring every 5 minutes) or so or until liver is done but not overdone.

SAUTEED CALF'S LIVER

Steps:

• Place liver in a nonreactive (ceramic or glass) bowl and pour milk over. Refrigerate, covered, 5 to 6 hours.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. When butter is shimmering, add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring more frequently until onions are very soft and brown, 30 to 40 minutes more.
• Drain liver and discard milk. Pat liver dry with paper towels.
• Spread flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Thoroughly coat liver with the flour mixture, shaking off excess.
• Heat a large (13-inch) saute pan over medium heat and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the oil and heat until shimmering. Cook (in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding pan) until liver is firm (but not hard) and browned on the outside but still slightly pink in the center, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining liver, adding more oil to the pan as necessary. Add sage and cook for 1 minute more.
• Divide liver among plates and top with onions.

SLICED CALF'S LIVER WITH GOLDEN ONIONS

Steps:

• Rinse liver to remove any traces of blood and discard membrane and any tough veins. Cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices.
• Cook onions in 2 tablespoons butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute. Cover skillet and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm, covered.
• Pat half of liver slices dry and toss with salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté seasoned liver, shaking skillet and turning liver, until browned on both sides but still pink inside, about 2 minutes. Put cooked liver on top of onions and cover.
• Add water to skillet and deglaze, scraping up brown bits and boiling until liquid is slightly reduced. Pour sauce over cooked liver and wipe skillet clean. Sauté remaining liver as above, then add rest of liver with onions and parsley, tossing briefly.

CALVES' LIVER WITH STICKY ONION RELISH & PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• To make the relish, put the onions, juniper and thyme in a large saucepan, season with 1 tsp salt and a little pepper. Cook on a high heat for 10 mins, stirring regularly as the onions start to soften. Add the vinegar, sugar and 100ml water. Cover, boil for 5 mins, then uncover and simmer gently for 5 mins or until soft and with a little juice remaining. Meanwhile, remove large tubes, membrane or gristle from the liver. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a large frying pan and add the prosciutto. Fry for 1 min each side or until golden and crisp. Set aside on a plate and keep warm in a low oven.
• Add a splash more oil to the pan. Dust the liver slices in the flour and pat away any excess. Place the liver in the hot pan, scatter the sage in, then fry for 1 min each side if the liver is sliced thinly, longer if thicker. When the liver is golden and just pink in the middle, transfer it and the crisped sage to the plate in the oven.
• Return the pan to the hob and add the Marsala. Boil until syrupy. Let the butter melt into this sauce, season to taste, then set aside. If your sauce reduces too quickly, just add a little water. Plate up the liver, prosciutto, sage and warm onion relish, then spoon over the sauce. Serve with seasonal greens and potatoes, if you like.

ABSOLUTE BEST LIVER AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Gently rinse liver slices under cold water, and place in a medium bowl. Pour in enough milk to cover. Let stand while preparing onions. (I like to soak up to an hour or two - whatever you have time for.) This step is SO important in taking the bitter taste of the liver out.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Separate onion rings, and saute them in butter until soft. Remove onions, and melt remaining butter in the skillet. Season the flour with salt and pepper, and put it in a shallow dish or on a plate. Drain milk from liver, and coat slices in the flour mixture.
• When the butter has melted, turn the heat up to medium-high, and place the coated liver slices in the pan. Cook until nice and brown on the bottom. Turn, and cook on the other side until browned. Add onions, and reduce heat to medium. Cook a bit longer to taste. Our family prefers the liver to just barely retain a pinkness on the inside when you cut to check. Enjoy!

CALF'S LIVER WITH SHALLOTS AND WINE-VINEGAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Sprinkle liver with salt and pepper. Dredge slices thoroughly on both sides with flour. Shake off excess.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add liver slices. Cook about 1 minute or until nicely browned. Turn slices and cook about a minute longer for rare. Cook longer for medium-rare and well done.
• Remove liver from skillet and keep warm. Pour off fat from skillet and add butter. Add shallots and garlic. Cook over high heat, stirring until butter is hazelnut brown. Quickly add vinegar and bring to a boil. Pour sauce over liver. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

CALF'S LIVER WITH BACON AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Soak liver in milk in a bowl 20 minutes.
• While liver is soaking, cook bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, turning over occasionally, until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and reserve 2 1/2 tablespoons fat in skillet, transferring remaining fat to a small bowl.
• Cook onions with salt and pepper to taste in fat in skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and add bacon. Keep warm, covered.
• Pat liver dry and discard milk. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper on a sheet of wax paper and dredge liver in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
• Add 1 1/2 tablespoons reserved bacon fat to skillet and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté liver, turning over once, until browned but still pink inside, about 4 minutes total. Serve liver topped with onions and bacon.