Fancy Fried Chicken Livers

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I love chicken livers as much as I love oysters and frying them highlights all the best qualities of the common  grocery store staple, and this quick recipe will make you want to cook them regularly because they are so economical. Really, you can season the eggs and flour however you want, just be bold. Sometimes I use Thai Sweet Chile Sauce, and the hotter the sauce the better—the liver can stand up to it. I like to eat them immediately after frying, when the crunchy exterior gives way to a still-juicy center.

Salt is mandatory plus more hot sauce and a squeeze of fresh lemon for lift. Fried chicken livers can be seasoned to almost any taste. You can swap the Old Bay for a combination of roasted sesame seeds and Korean red pepper flakes. Or try sprinkling them with crushed peanuts with a side of fish sauce and lime dressing and shredded cabbage.

Once cooked, fried chicken livers last in the fridge for up to two days, during which time you could simply snack on them cold with a dab of mustard. My favorite way to use leftovers is chopped in a hearty salad of arugula, ranch dressing, and roasted sweet potato, or you can tuck them into a roll with a spicy slaw and some sliced pickles.

Fried Chicken Livers

Photo Credit: TASTE, 2018

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 pint container of chicken livers
1 egg
¼ cup hot sauce, plus additional for serving
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup all purpose flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
vegetable, oil for frying
McCormick’s OLD BAY® Seasoning
Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions:
Rinse livers in cold water and pat dry with paper towels before trimming them of visible sinew, fat, and areas of green discoloration. Separate large connected lobes, but otherwise try keep the pieces as big as possible.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg with a fork until blended, then add hot sauce and mustard. Gently drop the livers in the egg wash and toss to coat. Let them marinate for up to 10 minutes while you prepare the breading.

To make the breading, mix the flour, cornmeal, and the remaining spices in a shallow pan or plate so you can spread the mixture out. Lay the livers on the seasoned flour and let them sit on one side for at least 2 minutes so the coating bonds well to the egg. Gently turn them over and repeat on the other side.

Heat half an inch of oil in a cast-iron or carbon steel pan. Fry the livers until dark golden brown before flipping, which takes about 2 or 3 minutes depending on the size of the piece. 5 minutes. Don’t be tempted to let them go longer than 5 minutes to insure a  perfectly pink interior, which is what you want. This is how you harness the elegant pâté qualities that are waiting to be unlocked, so keep an eye on the smaller pieces. When the livers are solidly golden brown on both sides, they are done on the inside, Be careful when cooking livers, the liver releases a lot of juice while frying on the first side. I like to wear sunglasses to protect my eyes and then sprinkle a pinch of the dredging flour on the top to absorb the moisture and prevent splattering. Flip the livers and continue to cook until they are uniformly brown, another minute to 2 minutes.

Drain on paper towels. Once the livers are fried, you would be almost negligent not to consider another layer of flavor for the exterior, so lightly dust generously with Old Bay. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce.

Bloody Mary Shrimp with Jasmine Rice and Wilted Arugula

Just in time for Sunday Brunch….

The Bloody Mary Cocktail is a favorite choice of drink for brunch, and this dish was inspired by the popular cocktail that has been around since the 1920s.

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As with the cocktail, the highlighted ingredient is the  Worcestershire Sauce, which has a pretty unique culinary history unto itself. For the most part, Worcestershire Sauce is condiment used to flavor meats, gravies, soups and of course, Bloody Mary Cocktails. Among the other ingredients, Worcestershire Sauce is also made up of vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, tamarind, onion and molasses.

So here is a recipe that is just right for anytime of the day, because it is always five o’clock in the afternoon somewhere……

Enjoy!

 

PREP TIME: 10 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 20-25 Minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30-35 Minutes
Yields 2 Servings

Ingredients:
For the rice:
3/4 cup Jasmine rice
1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup arugula
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste

 For the Sauce:
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small Vidalia onion
3  plum tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon horseradish sauce
1/4 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
celery salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 lbs. 16-21 count Gulf Shrimp, peeled, veins removed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 lemon, halved
1 stalk celery,diced for garnish

Preparation:
1. Prepare the ingredients. Peel the onion and mince. Rinse tomatoes and dice into 1 inch cubes. Mince the garlic. Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels, Rinse arugula. Rinse the celery and cut into 1/8 inch dice.

2. In a small pot, bring the jasmine rice, 1 1/4 cups water, and a pinch of salt to boil over high heat. Stir once,cover and reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 12 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and allow to stand, still covered for 10 minutes. Uncover, fluff with a fork and set aside.

3. To make the Bloody Mary Sauce, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When oil is  shimmering, add the onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes and garlic and cook until softened. Add horseradish sauce, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 cup water and stir to combine.

4. Season the shrimp with  celery salt and black pepper to taste, thyme, and the Old Bay Spice. Add seasoned shrimp to the sauce in the pan and cook until shrimp are pink and opaque, 1-2 minutes per side. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

5. To season the rice, add arugula to warm jasmine rice and stir to combine, allowing the arugula to slight wilt.Taste the rice and add salt as needed. In a medium bowl, combine celery, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and 1 squeeze of lemon juice. Taste and add salt and white pepper as needed.

6. To serve, divide jasmine rice and arugula evenly between two plates. Top with shrimp and tomato sauce, Squeeze the juice from the other half of the remaining lemon over the shrimp and rice. Garnish with the celery salad and serve hot.