Beef liver with mango onion, creamy bacon and juniper berries
Soaking overnight, preparation: 30-40 minutes
Serves 3-4
I seldom eat entrails but if they’re tender and well seasoned, they’re a fair culinary complement. Poultry, game and young animals offer the most subtle and appraised livers but there is nothing wrong with beef or pork liver, either. Pork liver shouldn't be soaked in milk as it enhances its tangy taste but beef liver benefits from soaking in milk or lemon juice (citric acid).
Ingredients: 450 g beef liver, 150 g bacon, 2-3 red onions, 1 mango, juniper berries, 2 dl double cream or vegetable cream, salt & black pepper
If the liver is not pretreated, remove the surface film (membrane) and the toughest looking tendon cavities with kitchen scissors or a sharp filleting knife. It doesn't matter if you create a couple of holes or cut the liver into smaller pieces; that's better than chewing hardcore tendons for half an hour. Cut into thin (0,5 cm) slices, rinse well and pat dry with paper towels. Soak the slices in milk overnight to soften the flavor.
Rinse the soaked liver and pat dry. Place the bits on top of kitchen paper to drain.
Mango Onion
2-3 red onions, cut into slices
1 mango, cut into slivers
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10-12 juniper berries, ground in mortar
A pinch of salt
Prepare the mango onion mix. Peel the mango and cut the flesh into tiny slivers. Cut the onions into thin slices. Fry the juniper berries, pepper, onions and mango slices on high heat until the onions are opaque, tender and slightly browned and the mango has dissolved into a sticky syrup. This takes approximately 8-10 minutes. Put aside, season with salt on a separate dish/plate and cover with foil. Don’t rinse the pan.
*Fry the bacon (150 g bacon slices, cut into thirds) until crispy, put aside and keep warm. Don’t rinse the pan.
Liver
~450 g of cleansed beef liver
A pinch of salt
A pinch of ground black pepper
Turn on medium heat. Fry the liver in bacon fat/drippings approximately 2-3 min per side until nicely browned. Medium plus is good. Liver burns easily and becomes tough if you overcook. Season with black pepper and a pinch of salt and keep warm on a plate. Rinse the pan.
Creamy Bacon
150 g prefried* bacon
2 dl double cream or starchy vegetable cream (I used the latter)
A pinch of ground black pepper
Return the bacon on the pan, add the double cream or starchy vegetable cream and a pinch of pepper and let simmer for a minute or two.
Place the liver on a serving plate with the mango onion mix and creamy bacon. Serve with light green salad and oven-baked, unpeeled and oil-drizzled potato slices seasoned with salt, pepper and rosemary.
Soaking overnight, preparation: 30-40 minutes
Serves 3-4
I seldom eat entrails but if they’re tender and well seasoned, they’re a fair culinary complement. Poultry, game and young animals offer the most subtle and appraised livers but there is nothing wrong with beef or pork liver, either. Pork liver shouldn't be soaked in milk as it enhances its tangy taste but beef liver benefits from soaking in milk or lemon juice (citric acid).
Ingredients: 450 g beef liver, 150 g bacon, 2-3 red onions, 1 mango, juniper berries, 2 dl double cream or vegetable cream, salt & black pepper
If the liver is not pretreated, remove the surface film (membrane) and the toughest looking tendon cavities with kitchen scissors or a sharp filleting knife. It doesn't matter if you create a couple of holes or cut the liver into smaller pieces; that's better than chewing hardcore tendons for half an hour. Cut into thin (0,5 cm) slices, rinse well and pat dry with paper towels. Soak the slices in milk overnight to soften the flavor.
Rinse the soaked liver and pat dry. Place the bits on top of kitchen paper to drain.
Mango Onion
2-3 red onions, cut into slices
1 mango, cut into slivers
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
10-12 juniper berries, ground in mortar
A pinch of salt
Prepare the mango onion mix. Peel the mango and cut the flesh into tiny slivers. Cut the onions into thin slices. Fry the juniper berries, pepper, onions and mango slices on high heat until the onions are opaque, tender and slightly browned and the mango has dissolved into a sticky syrup. This takes approximately 8-10 minutes. Put aside, season with salt on a separate dish/plate and cover with foil. Don’t rinse the pan.
*Fry the bacon (150 g bacon slices, cut into thirds) until crispy, put aside and keep warm. Don’t rinse the pan.
Liver
~450 g of cleansed beef liver
A pinch of salt
A pinch of ground black pepper
Turn on medium heat. Fry the liver in bacon fat/drippings approximately 2-3 min per side until nicely browned. Medium plus is good. Liver burns easily and becomes tough if you overcook. Season with black pepper and a pinch of salt and keep warm on a plate. Rinse the pan.
Creamy Bacon
150 g prefried* bacon
2 dl double cream or starchy vegetable cream (I used the latter)
A pinch of ground black pepper
Return the bacon on the pan, add the double cream or starchy vegetable cream and a pinch of pepper and let simmer for a minute or two.
Place the liver on a serving plate with the mango onion mix and creamy bacon. Serve with light green salad and oven-baked, unpeeled and oil-drizzled potato slices seasoned with salt, pepper and rosemary.
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