Creamed Sweet Onion and Bacon with Sautéed Calves Liver

I figured you might actually read this post if I left the Liver off until the end of the recipe title. Did it work?  Is anybody there? The only reason I can imagine that so many people dislike Liver must be that they never had it properly cooked. Come on, something routinely served with bacon and sautéed onions can only be bad if it’s just not cooked right. After all people, it’s bacon!

First I’m going to tell you what kind of Liver to eat, and second we’re not going to cook it like your mom or whoever else ruined it for you. (For those of you out there stoically defending your mom’s cooking skills, vis-à-vis Liver, calm down, apparently your mom knew what she was doing or you wouldn’t be on the pro-Liver side!) Most importantly we’re going to include the bacon – I would never harm bacon!

First, buy Calves Liver. Without getting all technical about when (and why), a cow is a calf just know this; it’s more tender and milder tasting.

Second, a short, very very short cooking time.  Overcooking anything is bad, remember that overdone turkey? And everyone loves turkey!

Last, Bacon with Sweet Onions and Cream and Wine – BACON!


Creamed Sweet Onion and Bacon with Sautéed Calves Liver
Yield: 4 Servings     Preparation Time: 30 minutes     Cooking Time: 5 Minutes


Ingredients

• ½ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• ¼ Cup All Purpose Flour
• ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Pound Calves Liver, cut into 4 slices about ½” thick
• 1 Cup Milk
• 8 Slices Bacon, cut into 1” pieces
• 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• ½ Sweet Onion, chopped in ¾” dice
• Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Madeira Wine
• 1 Cup Half & Half



Preparation Steps

Step 1. Put Panko Breadcrumbs in food processor and process until finely ground, add All Purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon each of Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper and process for 1 minute to completely combine.  Transfer breadcrumb mixture to a plate for dredging.

Step 2. Soak sliced Calves Liver in Milk for 20 minutes.

Step 3. Cook Bacon until crisp but not crumbly, remove to a paper towel lined bowl.  Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in pan and add 2 tablespoons of Unsalted Butter. Add sliced onions and cook over low until lightly browned or caramelized, but not mushy. Remove the paper towel liner from the Bacon bowl and transfer the cooked onions to the Bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving the fat in the pan.

Step 4. Remove the Liver from the Milk and pat with paper towel to dry.

Step 5. Add enough Olive Oil to the pan to bring the total amount of melted fat to 2 tablespoons, and set pan over medium heat. Dredge the Liver in the breadcrumb mixture and fry in the hot pan for 1 minute on each side. Remove to a warm platter and cover loosely to keep warm.

Step 6. With the pan off the heat add the Madeira Wine and scrape the bottom to deglaze. Transfer the Bacon and Onion mixture to the pan and return to the heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the Half & Half and cook until everything is warmed though and just beginning to simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning and simmer for 1 minute to thicken slightly.

Serve the Liver on top of a pool of the Creamed Sweet Onion and Bacon Sauce.


Tips and Trending

~ Crispy Redskin Smash and Sweet and Crunchy Sautéed Haricots Verts are the perfect accompaniments.

~ Slice the liver no thicker than ½” – no questions, ½” period.

~ Your grandmother might have used it for her liver and onions, but save the buttermilk for fried chicken. The milk soak here is less about tenderizing and more about mellowing the flavors and we don’t want that tang here.

~ Substitute your favorite bacon with wild abandon! If you like the thick-cut peppered variety, go for it! Applewood smoked? Sure, why not!  You can even use pancetta, and in that case, mince a clove of garlic and toss that in the pan while you cook the onions.