FEGATO (CALF'S LIVER MARSALA)

                                                Prep time: 30 minutes

                                                Cooking time: 10 min

                                                Serves: 2

            This recipe is about LIVER.

            “Eeew,” my daughters would say. The thought of liver sends shivers of disgust down the spines of thousands, even many card-carrying carnivores. What happened? Did their mothers cook beef liver for them in the 1950s??

            Here’s the story. When prepared well, veal (calf’s) liver is a real treat, delicate in flavor, and tender. Many restaurants do an acceptable job, but even they could do better. You cannot simply buy liver, throw it in a pan, and expect to eat well. Some care is required.

            The inspiration for this dish came from a restaurant in Florence, Italy, called Sabatini. I ordered ‘fegato’ (pronounced like mega-toe), not knowing what kind of liver it would be. I was served the most wonderful tender bite size strips of light tan colored milk-fed calves liver. No gristle, nothing to cut. Only tiny morsels of heaven.

            So try this recipe. It’s not difficult but requires a bit more care than most of the others in this book.

MUSIC: You need at least 30 minutes. Try Shostakovich’s Quintet for Piano and Strings, Op 57, especially the Intermezzo movement; or Sting: MERCURY FALLING or IT’S A BRAND NEW DAY.

HERE’S ALL YOU  NEED:

1. Liver: ¾ to 1 pound of milk-fed veal (calf) liver, firm in texture, cappuccino in color.
2. Flour, white, a handful for dusting liver
3. Butter, unsalted, about 3 Tablespoons
4. Garlic, 1 medium to large clove, chopped
5. Marsala, dry (not sweet), ¼ to ½ Cup

6. Kosher salt, pepper

HERE’S WHAT TO DO:

• Cut liver into strips 2 inches long, ¼ to ⅓ inch wide. There should be NO sign of veins or other gristle. This requires discarding as much as ⅓ of the bulk of the liver.
• Toss liver strips in a bowl with the flour until evenly coated.   
• Heat butter in 8 to 10 inch skillet on medium-high heat until bubbling (hot but not burning or smoking)
• Add liver strips (not the excess flour)
• Add garlic
• Allow the liver to brown a little but don’t overcook (one or two minutes, max).  
• Salt with healthy pinch of kosher salt, and 4 or 5 twists of a pepper mill.
• Add Marsala which will sizzle at first and then meld with the juices and flour to create a nice sauce. Mix once, gently.
• Serve immediately

CADENZA: Excellent with some plain buttered noodles or potatoes au gratin, carrots, broccoli. Goes very well with polenta, grilled Portobello mushrooms, and grilled asparagus.

WINE: This dish needs a big red wine. Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, big Italian such as Brunello or Super Tuscan (Tignanello, Sassicaia), or an Australian Shiraz. White wine would be lost on this recipe.

About liver: Milk-fed calf (veal) liver is essential. Beef liver is incompatible with this dish or any high quality eating, though it is good for iron deficiency!

            A slice of veal liver is usually about ½ inch thick. You can see all the veins and connective strands. Get rid of these. Cut them out. Use only the flawless middle sections with no gristle when making strips.

About flour coating: Please, no measuring allowed. Throw some flour on a platter or bowl and toss the liver pieces until coated, OR sprinkle liberally directly onto the meat. Any excess flour will fall off when you transfer the meat to the pan. You can also use a sieve after you have tossed the liver pieces in flour.