Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [208]
3. Cook the liver until it forms a crisp, brown crust on one side, then do the other side. Altogether, it should take about 1 minute. As you do one batch of slices, transfer them with a slotted spoon or spatula to a cooling rack to drain or to a platter lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and slip another batch into the pan, repeating the same procedure, until all the slices are done. Transfer to a warm platter and serve at once.
Grilled Calf’s or Pork Liver Wrapped in Caul
CAUL IS A SOFT, net-like membrane that envelops the pig’s intestines. It dissolves slowly over a hot fire, eventually disappearing almost completely, thus acting as a natural basting agent for meats that need to be protected from drying. Liver grilled in a caul wrap is unequaled for its juiciness and sweetness.
Caul can be found at butchers that specialize in fresh pork, or it can be ordered from them. It is inexpensive and freezes perfectly, so that when you find it, it is worth buying a quantity of it. If when you freeze it, you divide it into several parts, it will be easier to use it on successive occasions.
For 6 servings
About 1 pound fresh or thawed caul, in one or several pieces
1½ pounds calf or pork liver, cut into pieces about 1 inch thick, 3 inches long and 2 inches wide
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
Whole bay leaves
Sturdy round toothpicks
Preferably a charcoal or gas-fired lava rock grill
1. If using an indoor broiler, preheat it 15 minutes before cooking. If using charcoal, light it in sufficient time for it to form a coating of white ash before cooking.
2. Soak the caul in lukewarm water for about 5 minutes until it becomes soft and loose. Rinse in several changes of water. Lay the membrane on a dry cloth and carefully spread it open. Cut the best parts into rectangles 5 by 7 inches. Do not waste time with small pieces that need patching.
3. Remove skin or tough, exposed tubes from the liver. Wash it in cold water and pat it thoroughly dry with cloth or paper towels. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place a bay leaf on each piece, and wrap one of the caul rectangles around the liver, tucking under the ends. Fasten the wrapper to the liver with a toothpick.
4. Place the liver and caul bundles in the broiler or on the grill. Turn them after 2 to 3 minutes, and cook the other side another 2 minutes, depending on the intensity of heat. When done, the liver should still be pink and moist inside; if you are in doubt, cut into one piece to see. Serve piping hot, letting your guests remove the toothpicks themselves.
Sautéed Chicken Livers with Sage and White Wine
For 6 servings
1½ pounds chicken livers
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons onion chopped very fine
1 dozen fresh sage leaves
⅓ cup dry white wine
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1. Examine the livers carefully for bile-green spots and cut them away. Remove any bits of fat, wash the livers in cold water, then pat thoroughly dry with cloth or paper towels.
2. Put the butter and onion in a skillet, and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it becomes colored a pale gold. Then turn the heat up to high and add the sage leaves and chicken livers. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes, turning the livers over frequently, until they lose their raw, red color. Transfer them to a warm plate, using a slotted spoon or spatula.
3. Add the wine to the skillet, and let it simmer briskly for 20 or 30 seconds, while using a wooden spoon to scrape loose cooking residues from the bottom and sides of the pan. Add to the pan any liquid the livers may have shed on their plate, and boil it away.
4. Return the livers briefly to the pan, turning them over rapidly once or twice. Add salt and pepper, turn them once again, then transfer them with all the pan juices to a warm platter and serve at once.
Sautéed Sweetbreads with Tomatoes and Peas
BREAD USED TO BE another way to say morsel, and