Pan Fried Calves Liver
I know that offal isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but, having grown up eating it, I’m a great fan of this incredibly versatile, goodness filled delicacy. If you’ve never tried it before and fancy giving it ago then I suggest you start here; pan fried liver, when it’s cooked right and served with mashed potato, makes a winning combination. Make sure you check out the Lisa’s Tips section of the recipe to find out how to easily transform the pan-fried Calves Liver into a sublime Chopped Liver.
Ingredients
- 6 slices calves’ liver (approx.1 kg/2.5lbs) slices should be ½ inch thick
- 3 onions , sliced
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp. coconut aminos, tamari sauce or teriyaki sauce (I prefer to use Rayners coconut aminos)
- sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
- white pepper
- garlic granules
Serving Suggestions
- mashed potatoes, chopped, fresh parsley or coriander
- Check out Lisa's top tips - to make this recipe into chopped liver
Instructions
- Place a large, non-stick frying pan over a gentle heat, add the oil then, when warm, tip in the onions and sauté for 15-20 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and translucent - do not rush this process as you want the onions to be soft and caramelized. Season with Herbamare, sea salt, white pepper, and garlic granules, then continue to cook for a further 5 minutes until the onions start to caramelize.
- Increase the heat, then season both sides of the sliced liver with Herbamare, sea salt, white pepper, and garlic granules, before gently laying them into the hot pan. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, until the liver has gone from a delicate pink to a pale brown.
- Turn the heat down to medium, then add 2-3 tbsp. coconut aminos and continue to cook for a further 4-5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened.
- Serve piping hot, sprinkled with minced parsley if you wish, alongside mashed potato and the greens of your choice.
- Enjoy!
- When making this recipe, I’d LOVE to see how you get on so either send me a photo to lisa@myrelationshipwithfood.com or post a picture to Instagram using the #myrelationshipwithfood and tag @myrelationshipwithfood
Notes
LISA’S TIP – I think liver is so underrated, but it’s a food I’ve grown up eating and loving – and even more so now that I’ve learned how much goodness it contains. That said, I’m afraid it’s one food you will need to avoid if you’re pregnant due to the high levels of Vitamin A it contains. Liver has gotten itself a bad reputation over the years for being dry and rubbery however, as long as you follow the instructions above, then the result will be moist, delicate and beautifully flavourful.
And once you get a taste for liver, why not go on to try another of my favourite recipes; chopped liver? It’s great served as a starter, or as a light lunch, spread on top of some deliciously crusty fresh bread or on top of crackers – simply follow the instructions below!
To make chopped Liver!
Once you’ve cooked the liver as above, leave it to cool then place it, together with the juices from the pan, into a food processor, and blend until roughly chopped. Add 3 peeled, grated hard-boiled eggs then blend again until you reach your desired consistency. You shouldn’t need to add any seasonings at this point, but do check just in case. If there aren’t enough juices in the pan to enable the mix to blend properly and/or for you to get your desired consistency, then you can add 1-2 tbsp. olive oil to help things along. I like to serve this piled on to a serving plate, garnished with some extra grated hard-boiled egg and alongside some pickles and bread or crackers. If you don’t want to serve it straight away, then keep it in the fridge until you need it – it will thicken when it’s chilled so make sure to take it out 20-30mins before you want to serve it so that it becomes softer again, and so that the flavours truly shine.