Scribbles & Munch

      A hundred and fifty years ago, if someone was bored or suffering from malaise, they said "her liver needs stirring up."
      Well, if you take that literally...at least you won't be bored...MWAH-HA-HA-HA-HAAAA!!!

Slimy...squishy...yum.....

      For this dish, we return to the humble chicken. Which doesn't seem very scary until you remember that yes, if you sever its head quickly and cleanly, it will run around for several seconds before falling over dead. In other words: Decapitated Demon Chicken! Now THAT's Halloween-ish.
     Chicken livers are cheap, and if you can get them fresh from full-pastured chicken, they can be a marvelous, quick-cooking food. It's different than regular chicken meat in that it's like duck or beef: it's Ok to serve it slightly rare. (Only slightly--this is still chicken we're talking about.) The veins and membranes should be removed, however, which is not a simple task. I usually use my fingers to gingerly pinch the stringy bits out. This tears the livers into pieces, but that's Ok; most recipes call for chopping cooked chicken liver into varying degrees of coarseness, ranging from rough chunks to a fine, silky purée. But chopped liver is so New York Deli, we're just not going to go there. Instead, I give mine a light breading and fry it crisply--it's so easy it doesn't even call for a recipe! Just plan on about 3 oz. of chicken livers per person & eyeball the rest.

      Our approach isn't too different from regular pan-fried chicken. Start with a milk bath to draw out some of the metallic taste and build up some viscosity (unlike regular chicken, I suggest regular milk instead of buttermilk, since we don't need that acidity).



Then toss the severed organs with some flour and salt. Note: ONLY salt. This is too thin a coating for pepper or other spices, which will burn in the hot oil. You probably don't think about because we're told to "add salt and pepper" so often, but if it's being cooked over high heat, odds are those spices burn and get bitter. Which is how you get that, "Well, it's good, but not as good as I remember" phenomenon.

They look scary...but they taste good!

Liver has a rich flavor, and a creamy texture. Breaded this way, you can cook it in olive oil over med-high heat - turning once, after a couple minutes - and they exterior gets a nice bit of crunch to it. To further compliment the texture, liver is usually served on crusty bread, toast, or crackers (which is actually how I like mine).

Simple and tasty. Makes a good nibble with wine, or add a zesty tossed salad and call it a light meal.

Feeling a bit more adventurous? Add some minced garlic to the pan, then use as a taco filling with some julienned carrots & jicama, cilantro sprigs, avocado slices, peppers (your level of hear), and a spray of lime. Really, REALLY tasty!

      Some people say liver is bad for you because it's high in cholesterol and a bit fatty. This is true, but if you have free-range, full-pastured chicken liver that cholesterol will be lower and of the healthier variety. Also, liver from any animal is high in iron, which is nice if you're anemic...or the survivor of a recent vampire attack. Finally, liver has such a rich taste that it's satisfying in small amounts, meaning you'll probably eat a smaller portion than you would of actual meat. So don't be shy, go ahead: rip out that organ and devour it.