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Cook the Book: Fried Chicken Livers with Hot Pepper Glaze

Posted by Caroline Russock, April 22, 2009 at 1:15 PM

Chicken livers, love 'em or hate 'em, there is rarely any middle ground. If you are like me—a fan of all things liver related—then this recipe from Donald Link's Real Cajun will blow your mind! Perfectly fried chicken livers on buttered toast points, topped with a fresh herb salad and spicy-sweet hot pepper glaze, delicious. Link claims that this recipe served at Cochon, has turned many liver haters into liver lovers.

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Fried Chicken Livers with Hot Pepper Glaze

- serves 4 -
Adapted from Real Cajun by Donald Link

Ingredients

1 pound chicken livers (about 12 to 15)
1 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon hot sauce
Salt
Ground black pepper
Peanut oil or lard, for frying
4 slices white bread, crusts trimmed
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 mint sprigs
Leaves from 3 or 4 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
1/2 onion, very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3/4 cup Hot Pepper Jelly (recipe follows)

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken livers, buttermilk, hot sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and marinate at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.

2. Heat the oil in a large, deep pot to 350°F. Meanwhile, cut each bread slice into four equal squares, brush with butter, and season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Place flour in a shallow dish. One at a time, lift the livers out of the marinade, shaking to remove excess buttermilk, and coat in the flour, shaking off excess.

4. Fry the chicken livers in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown and just cooked through; transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. To serve, place 4 toast points on a plate and top each one with a fried liver. Toss the mint, parsley, and onion with the oil and vinegar. Spread 1 teaspoon of pepper jelly over each liver and top with some of the salad.

Hot Pepper Jelly

- makes 4 cups -
Adapted from Real Cajun by Donald Link

Ingredients

2 red bell peppers
10 jalapeno peppers
1 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 (1 3/4 ounces) box powdered pectin powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups sugar

Procedure

Remove the stems and seeds from the peppers and cut into half-inch pieces. Combine the peppers with the vinegar in a blender and puree. Transfer to a 1-quart container, add the apple juice, and refrigerate overnight to develop flavor. Make sure that there are 4 cups;if not, add enough apple juice to make 4 cups. Add the pectin and salt, bring to a boil for over medium heat while stirring. Add sugar and return to a rolling boil for 1 minute while stirring. Remove from heat and skim any foam that has risen to the surface. Ladle into four hot sterilized 8-ounce canning jars (see note), seal, and process according to the jar manufacturer's instructions. Let cool on a rack and check that the jars have sealed properly.

Note: It's essential to wash canning jars, lids, and screw bands in hot, soapy water, then rinse well. Use a clean towel to dry the bands. To sterilize, place the empty jars on a rack in a boiling-water canner or a deep 8-to 10-quart pot and add enough hot water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then boil for 10 minutes. Remove the canner from the heat, leaving the jars in the water, covered. Similarly, heat the lids in the water to cover by 2 inches in a small saucepan until a thermometer registers 180°F (do not let boil). Remove from heat. Keep jars and lids submerged in hot water, covered, until ready to use.

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Tags: chicken livers, Cook the Book, Donald Link, hot pepper jelly, Real Cajun