OFFAL

2

Replies

  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    Oh, you musta been at that "all gurls are cissies!" stage. It's a common thing among boys. Usually they're 9 or so.

    Even when they're 35.....
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    @Just_Eric , betcha it felt 'just offal.' :p
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    @canadjineh that's a groan from me.....! :D
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    This recipe has been in my 'Family Vault' for years. My father first cooked it when I was young. I loved it then, I love it now...
    It's a recipe that originates from the Lebanon.

    Serves 4 (hungry) - 6 (as a dish within a meal and other dishes).

    INGREDIENTS
    450g/1lb fresh liver - either lamb's or veal. NOT Pork.
    Salt and pepper
    Olive oil
    Butter
    1 peeled, finely sliced onion
    2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
    125ml/4fl.oz white wine vinegar
    1 and a 1/2 TSP of flour, of your choice. I use chickpea flour
    1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
    3 - 4 tbsps water
    1 tbsps chopped coriander

    METHOD
    Season the liver with some salt and pepper.
    Heat the olive oil in a pan, and drop in some butter. Not too much, just to fry the liver.
    Flash-fry the liver until browned but not cooked through.
    Remove, put aside, and add the onions and garlic.
    Saute until translucent, then add the vinegar, and reduce by half.
    Add the flour and mint, and thicken the sauce.
    Add a little water to create a sauce the thickness of whipping cream. But not too thick....
    Put the liver back in and simmer gently, coating the liver with the sauce. Add a touch more water if needs be.
    Do not over-cook the liver, it should still be a touch pink in the middle....

    Serve with a small, decent yet satisfying portion of basmati rice.

    Yes.
    I know it has carbs.
    No, they won't hurt just once, guys!!

    :D
  • Alaplum
    Alaplum Posts: 169 Member
    That looks delicious. I just cooked up a big bunch of liver. Yum!
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    It needs something less flavoursome to balance/offset the tart, sharp flavour of the vinegar. Rice was always a perfect accompaniment, and honestly, I can't think of anything better to go with this dish.
    I know it has carbs, but even cauli-rice won't do it justice. I'm sure it will try, but - sorry guys - swings and roundabouts - try it with real rice, and then maybe pull back the next day.
    For me, it will be a small price to pay for such a lush-delish dish!
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    I bought some beef liver last night. I'm going to have to try it once it thaws. Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride recommends it on the GAPS diet. I hope it tastes good.
  • Chillycatmum
    Chillycatmum Posts: 188 Member
    What type of liver is the best - I don't like lambs liver but would like to try to add offal into my diet
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    The best ever liver is rose calf's/veal liver. It's tender and unsullied. All it will have tasted is mopther's milk. But bovine liver is fine. Lamb's liver is beautifully tender. And the dish is so flavoursome, it can pretty much take any liver you want to use....
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    I just made liver. It made me gag by itself, so I ate more mixed with some butter and onions and it was pretty good.
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    Why is it, do you think, that liver makes you gag? I'm really just interested. I personally have never come across any food that makes me gag, so I'm actually fascinated by the concept. Thanks!
  • Bonny132
    Bonny132 Posts: 3,617 Member
    What type of liver is the best - I don't like lambs liver but would like to try to add offal into my diet

    I love calf liver, thinly sliced and panfried mmmmm
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    Bonny132 wrote: »
    What type of liver is the best - I don't like lambs liver but would like to try to add offal into my diet

    I love calf liver, thinly sliced and panfried mmmmm

    It really is rather spesh, isn't it...?
  • Bonny132
    Bonny132 Posts: 3,617 Member
    I can eat it all day long, and with some English mustard it is just a small piece of heaven served on a beautiful plate.
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    I think we should get together for dinner....! :D
  • Chillycatmum
    Chillycatmum Posts: 188 Member
    I am going to have to see if I can find some calves liver and give it a try
  • canadjineh
    canadjineh Posts: 5,396 Member
    Why is it, do you think, that liver makes you gag? I'm really just interested. I personally have never come across any food that makes me gag, so I'm actually fascinated by the concept. Thanks!

    Texture! But I'm 'food texture picky'... must clean out the 'tomato jello' that holds the seeds, hate the texture of watermelon but like the flavour, like other melon texture though. Toast must be crispy on the outside yet still tender inside and must be dry, I like the dry crunch of rice cakes too. Also raw oysters = snot.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 3,969 Member
    I just made liver. It made me gag by itself, so I ate more mixed with some butter and onions and it was pretty good.

    Liver and onions are a match made in heaven. Try lightly pan frying it in bacon fat next time along with the onions. I like a dash of cumin on them as well. It is an earth dish. Liver should never be cooked past medium rare. It becomes shoe leather after that and most people don't know that, so they hate it.

    In grade school I traded my desserts for liver or spinach, other kids thought I was a real nut case. Suppose I am when it comes to food. >:)
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    I just made liver. It made me gag by itself, so I ate more mixed with some butter and onions and it was pretty good.

    Liver and onions are a match made in heaven. Try lightly pan frying it in bacon fat next time along with the onions. I like a dash of cumin on them as well. It is an earth dish. Liver should never be cooked past medium rare. It becomes shoe leather after that and most people don't know that, so they hate it.

    In grade school I traded my desserts for liver or spinach, other kids thought I was a real nut case. Suppose I am when it comes to food. >:)

    I cooked it like steak, 3 minutes each side. It wasn't like leather but it was probably a little overcooked. I wish I had remembered to cook it in some fat though.

    I used to trade my cookies for a goat cheese sandwich my friend would always have, but yeah trading for liver and spinach is pretty weird. :p

    Why is it, do you think, that liver makes you gag? I'm really just interested. I personally have never come across any food that makes me gag, so I'm actually fascinated by the concept. Thanks!

    I think it was the first time tasting the metallic flavor of liver. I've eaten it again and though I'm not a big fan of it, I didn't gag. I do like it with mostly butter and onions and just a small piece of liver.
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    canadjineh wrote: »
    Why is it, do you think, that liver makes you gag? I'm really just interested. I personally have never come across any food that makes me gag, so I'm actually fascinated by the concept. Thanks!

    Texture! But I'm 'food texture picky'... must clean out the 'tomato jello' that holds the seeds, hate the texture of watermelon but like the flavour, like other melon texture though. Toast must be crispy on the outside yet still tender inside and must be dry, I like the dry crunch of rice cakes too. Also raw oysters = snot.

    Yes, my H is big on texture too... anything to rubbery, and it's not appealing, but pleasantly chewy with good flavour, and "I'd eat that again"... we've made amazing progress... He used to be pickily particular to the point of being anal, but his tastes have expanded and mellowed...
    I just made liver. It made me gag by itself, so I ate more mixed with some butter and onions and it was pretty good.

    Liver and onions are a match made in heaven. Try lightly pan frying it in bacon fat next time along with the onions. I like a dash of cumin on them as well. It is an earth dish. Liver should never be cooked past medium rare. It becomes shoe leather after that and most people don't know that, so they hate it.

    In grade school I traded my desserts for liver or spinach, other kids thought I was a real nut case. Suppose I am when it comes to food. >:)


    I cooked it like steak, 3 minutes each side. It wasn't like leather but it was probably a little overcooked. I wish I had remembered to cook it in some fat though.

    I used to trade my cookies for a goat cheese sandwich my friend would always have, but yeah trading for liver and spinach is pretty weird. :p

    Why is it, do you think, that liver makes you gag? I'm really just interested. I personally have never come across any food that makes me gag, so I'm actually fascinated by the concept. Thanks!

    I think it was the first time tasting the metallic flavor of liver. I've eaten it again and though I'm not a big fan of it, I didn't gag. I do like it with mostly butter and onions and just a small piece of liver.
    I just made liver. It made me gag by itself, so I ate more mixed with some butter and onions and it was pretty good.

    Liver and onions are a match made in heaven. Try lightly pan frying it in bacon fat next time along with the onions. I like a dash of cumin on them as well. It is an earth dish. Liver should never be cooked past medium rare. It becomes shoe leather after that and most people don't know that, so they hate it.

    In grade school I traded my desserts for liver or spinach, other kids thought I was a real nut case. Suppose I am when it comes to food. >:)

    We could be sisters separated at birth...! I was always being passed stuff at school, not always because I liked it, but because others didn't, and knew I had eclectic tastes! I like to look at it as the launchpad of my own particular peculiar and diverse tastes! I think liver used to be overcooked for three reasons: One, ignorance (what do we do with this stuff?), two suspicion (full of toxins) and three, well, because, school!
  • gorillababyface
    gorillababyface Posts: 14 Member
    I've been looking for this post for a while. I like to try new meats all the time and I really enjoy the different organs. So far chicken hearts are awesome. I do like liver (pork, chicken and beef). I've had goat spleen i probably over cooked it or didn't do it right cause it ended up chewy but still good after I cut it up into small pieces. I've recently ordered cow tongue and more liver, more hearts and even sheep balls
  • damorere
    damorere Posts: 22 Member
    I consider heart (chicken, beef, whatever) to be the most tender, delicious meat available. I cook beef heart like a rare to medium rare roast. If you want to try offal but are shy about it, that is a great place to start.
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    I've just taken some tripe, and a couple of lamb's hearts, out of my freezer.
    I'll cook the tripe curry-style, and as for the hearts, I'll make up some ridiculously delicious concoction in my slow cooker/crockpot!
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    I've been looking for this post for a while. I like to try new meats all the time and I really enjoy the different organs. So far chicken hearts are awesome. I do like liver (pork, chicken and beef). I've had goat spleen i probably over cooked it or didn't do it right cause it ended up chewy but still good after I cut it up into small pieces. I've recently ordered cow tongue and more liver, more hearts and even sheep balls

    I love beef tongue, I toss it in the slow cooker for a couple days (peel the skin off once it's easy to do so, but keep cooking it). It will fall apart into the best shredded beef you've ever had!

    Chicken gizzards are good too, cook them low and slow with some acidity, they'll become melt-in-your-mouth tender. They make for great high-protein snacks to keep on hand.

    Read up on cooking beef heart, there are some secrets you'll want to know. But, to keep it easy I'll often just grind it with ground beef, like PaleoMom's 50/50/50 burger recipe.
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    Cheesy567 wrote: »
    ... Read up on cooking beef heart, there are some secrets you'll want to know. .....

    ...Could you elaborate...?
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    Cheesy567 wrote: »
    ... Read up on cooking beef heart, there are some secrets you'll want to know. .....

    ...Could you elaborate...?

    You'll want to read up on it-- I haven't mastered beef heart, other than grinding it into burgers or meatballs like I said
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    Oh, I see, thanks. I thought you meant there was some kind of complication, or food warning! I've been eating lamb's/ox heart pretty much all my life with no adverse effects, so I was curious...!

    Cut it into bite-sized chunks, and use it as an addition or substitute to stewing beef. You can also stuff it and roast it....
    I'm making a lamb's heart curry right now, which is filling the home with the most amazing aroma! Of course, you can use ox heart, too.
    Slicing ok heart thinly, seasoning it and flash-frying is also good, if you like your steaks rare... The firmish texture and smooth consistency does not appeal to everyone, but I love it, browned on the outside and still 'pink' in the middle.

    Rather like octopus, you either need to cook it quickly, or cook it long. Anything in between, and you get shoe-leather....
  • I love all offal. Been wanting to try calf or pig brains. I grill chicken hearts all the time. So cheap and so tasty![img][/img]4uyrtpiz2iqh.jpg

  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 3,969 Member
    ^^^^^ Talk about food porn, this is it. Hearts and sauages OMG
  • AlexandraCarlyle
    AlexandraCarlyle Posts: 1,603 Member
    edited October 2017
    ^^^^^ Talk about food porn, this is it. Hearts and sauages OMG

    Chef (looking at offal) "Hmmm...let me see... what have we here....?"
    Offal: "I'll be anything you want me to be, darlin'!"
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