I am NOT a lover of offal. That said, I remembered the other day I used to love it as a youngster – my body needed iron clearly. I have problems now maintaining iron levels and it seems with taking iron supplements. So, not to be out done, I determined to eat some liver. And before you say ‘eurgh’ or however you spell that, it’s actually REALLY TASTY!
Here’s the recipe I concocted: simplicity itself.
Buy some beef, calves or lamb’s liver preferably from a farmer who does 100% grass fed animals. The taste is so much better for a start I’m told, but importantly they have had less toxicity going through that all-important organ to pass on to you when you eat it. Nuff said. I get mine from Sheepdrove Farm who may well give you 10% discount if you say you ‘belong’ to me!
Chop up an onion and 2-3 largish carrots quite small. I had no onion left so I used a leek and some spring onions instead actually, and I blitzed them into tiny chunks in my Thermomix processor – took 1-2 seconds, much faster than laboriously chopping away. Saute them in a little olive oil or coconut oil preferably if you have some.
Next, get a peg on your nose (I actually did this as I can’t bear the smell. Hey, good look!). Snip 1lb of liver straight into the pan, trying not to look. Stir it round to help it brown on a mediumish heat. You want to get it cooked through but slightly pink. When it stinks, its overdone so don’t let it get too stinky. I am selling this, aren’t I?
Add in a few fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme, plus a generous sprinkle of nutmeg – dried herbs will do if you’ve none fresh or even a little mustard powder is nice. Stir through letting the liver cook for about 10 minutes or however you like it done: stinky or non-stinky. OK, I’ll stop with the nasal teasing now, sorry 🙂
Crack 3 large eggs straight into the pan and stir around until cooked. Season, then pop the whole lot into a processor and blitz until smooth. I wanted mine pretty mild and people would normally add cream for that. I improvised and added a quarter ish of a block of solid coconut cream (you could use the thick top of coconut milk too). Blitz that in, check the taste, peg off nose now, and season to taste.
This makes quite a lot of pate which I put into various ramekins, covered and froze for iron-deficient days.
I had mine very cold from the fridge on hot grain free walnut toast with crunchy cucumber on top. Was delish, I’ve got to say. There: that sounds much more appetising now, doesn’t it?
I love the peg bit. You should definitely make some cooking programmes and capitalise on an anti-Nigella stance, saying things like, ‘That smells disGUSTing’ in a very fishwife kind of voice and wearing a stained apron and looking with contempt into the pan and talking about how you’d rather be watching telly than cooking. It would be a hit.
I’d love this ! I wonder how low-cholesterol it is , though ? And like your sister , I definitely think a television series is an excellent idea …. though I’d go down the clean pinny route , if you get to choose .
Ha, I wanna do that!! I will start working on the horrid smell under my nose look right now. Cholesterol, S and S (look, I’m tired, it’s late): I wouldn’t worry. There is not a shred of evidence that any cholesterol you eat in food has any bearing whatsoever on your serum cholesterol level. And besides, we have gone way too far the wrong way with cholesterol. Even the chap who did the original research no longer agrees with it, just a shame it takes medicine so long to change tack. Ooh, controversial as well as talented at the disgusting cooking thing. I thank you.
Well, I’m a vegetarian and definitely not an offal eater but I still enjoyed your post. Goodness, you look rather like Fran!
I know, you wouldn’t tell we are sisters, would you?! It comes in handy sometimes. I have often pretended to be the cultural poety one at events and soaked up all the praise! I have fallen short of actually giving autographs though you’ll be pleased to know. My writing is not teachery enough.
Glad you enjoyed the post despite your veggie status. Trust me, I thought I would be again after making liver but I am obviously a true, if unwitting, carnivore. I was veggie for 5 years and never felt so ill, yet P has been veggie for 25 years and thrives on it. My family have been known to have to frog-march me once a month for a steak when I am getting grumpy and tired. Although once there was no steak and P tried me on black peas from a stall in Preston. Didn’t work the same.
Hi there, great post. Just wondering about doing this without eggs? Would it work? And without cream?
Hi Olivia, thanks for stopping by. The recipe doesn’t have any cream in it so that’s good. I’m not sure it would work without eggs though. Perhaps you could try an egg replacement or the flaxseed and water trick which helps thicken all manner of things..let us know if you manage it so we can all learn. Good luck!