Yes, I have pedestrian tastes - but I want to know how they make liver and onions

[Inchworm]

in truck stops. That used to be a favorite of mine. Mom's, Granny's, and all the others couldn't touch it :)

LoL. I tried some in pressure cooker last night. Umm, it wasn't pretty. Evidently, onions serve a different purpose when cooked in that thing.

Any good recipes?

:hi:

[merci_me]

1. From my immigrant Romanian grandmother's side

as all her wonderful meals, no real recipes. But the first order of business.....an iron skillet. Then she used a spoonful of lard. I use about a quarter stick of margarine (this is for a 12 inch skillet), just enough to kind of give it a first coat. Then I add about three or four large mellow onions, sliced thin and caramelize them, adding a tablespoon or so of water, as needed, and keep de-gazing the skillet.

Then I remove the onions and give the skillet a final de-glazing using a bit of sweet red wine. My grandmother used her homemade wine, I use a port or Marsala. Rinse and blot the liver (beef or pork) and add it to the hot skillet and sear both sides quickly. Then add salt & pepper to taste. I use very little salt, reduce the heat and smother the liver with the onions and whatever liquid as accumulated to the onions while they sat. If I need more liquid, I add an equal mix of wine and water, just a tablespoon at a time as needed to cook the liver (more if I'm making mamaliga to go with it). The timing depends on how the liver is sliced. Sometimes it's almost wafer thin and other times a bit thick. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or so.

I also serve this with mamaliga cu brinza, which is a cornmeal mush and cheese. You just follow the directions on the cornmeal box for cornmeal mush. When it's done, pour half the hot mush on a platter and layer it with a yellow cheese (cheddar/colby or whatever) then pour the other half of the mush over and let the cheese melt in. I slice it with string or dental floss, plate it with the liver and onions and dollop some of the caramelized onions and pan juices over the mamaliga. If you are going to serve the liver with mamaliga, you might want to be generous developing the skillet liquids, which of course does increase during the time it's simmering with the lid on.

OMG, I'm starving!

[elleng]

2. Listen to 'Rumania!'

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Limeliters/Tonight+In+Person

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISC9f6emB_c

[grasswire]

3. that was my first thought too

Hey digga digga don digga digga don.

[elleng]

4. Spent HOURS looking for it!

Remember it from my 'youte!'

[Inchworm]

5. Awesome! Thanks

:hi:

[The empressof all]

6. I love liver and onions too

I soak the liver in milk (in the fridge) for a few hours. Dredge in flour and sear quickly in bacon or chicken fat. (I cook the onions in a smidge of the fat too). If I used bacon I crumble up the left over couple of strips and throw them into the home fries I serve on the side.

BTW: The liver is best when it's not over cooked. You want it a bit pink inside. I use a hot pan to get a good sear though.

[merci_me]

7. You do it the way my husband does.

Except he doesn't soak the liver in milk first. He fries bacon in an skillet to coat the skillet for the liver, which he flours (I don't). Meanwhile, he does lots of onions in an iron Dutch oven. Then he makes wonderful fried potatoes in the Dutch oven and divides the bacon and onions between the liver and the potatoes to finish cooking them. I think he overcooks the liver, but with the bacon and onions and him doing the cooking, I can't complain. He makes okra on the side. Being that I grew up in a Romanian/Italian/Greek home, okra was NOT on the menu. I opt for sliced tomatoes, basil and balsamic. LOL, his grandmothers were from was from Biloxi and North Carolina and okra was king.

I'll have to try the milk soak, great idea. Never thought about it for the liver, but do it with most fish all the time.

[The empressof all]

8. I just always got into the habit of soaking the organ meats in milk

Though I learned pretty quickly when I married into my husbands family to never do that when making chopped liver for Passover. (They are pretty observant during the holidays) For chicken livers it's not really that necessary but I do it anyway most of the time just as a habit. If I'm going to bread them and fry them then I soak in buttermilk.

[Arkansas Granny]

9. What are the benefits of soaking the meat in milk?

I've dipped meats in milk to make breading stick, but I've never soaked them.

[The empressof all]

10. With organ meats I think the theory is that it draws out impurities

Maybe it's the lactic acid? I'm not sure. It's something my grandmother and mother did so it certainly did no harm. I think Sweetbreads are usually given a milk soak in many restaurants but that's probably just something I picked up watching the food network.

[Mira]

11. I never knew why about the milk either,

but in my childhood in Germany we ate lots of liver, always soaked in milk first, then floured and pan fried. Salt I was taught, is never added until serving time to not make the liver hard.
Many people flour the liver, then dip it in beaten eggs, then breadcrumbs.

Many cook the onions separately in a heavy pan, slowly and long.

[pipoman]

12. We buy 3/8" sliced calf's liver

dip it in milk then in seasoned flour. Sear on a hot pan in butter...I like the idea of using bacon grease. Remove from the pan while still very rare then put onions in the pan. Cook the onions with a little red cooking wine until transparent, add the liver back, cover and put the pan in a 350 oven for 10-15 minutes. I hate it, but people who like liver and onions rave about it...we always have a crowd when we serve liver and onions for a lunch special.

[sandnsea]

13. We simmer ours like round steak

Do just like yours, although without the red wine. Add the onion and liver, then pour on a couple of cups of water and simmer for 2 hours or so. Very tender and yummy. But I think one of the biggest secrets is the calf's liver. It's just not good otherwise.

[laylah]

14. Not being one for "traditional"

liver and onions, I bake mine. Liver on botton, sliced green pepper, sliced white onion,, s&p, layer of bacon, continue, ending in bacon. 350 for about an hour...very good!