Redux. Er, re-chicken.

[madbaker]

I planned to make focaccia as this week's Resolution Recipe, but I failed to read the recipe closely enough beforehand. Every foccaccia recipe I've found emphasizes that you have to let it rise overnight to get that lovely open texture, as well as develop focacia flavoritude. Sadly, I did not discover this until Sunday morning and that afternoon was the only time open to make foccacia. So, maybe next week...

I'll use a redo as this week's RR instead - I prepared the livers of fowl, pullet, pork, or other animals again for W&D's Labor Day barbecue. I made these at the war and the thought was doing them at home would allow better hygiene, spice mixing control, and a fuller edit of the recipe redaction. Also I'm far more likely to make them at events if all I have to do is pull them out of the cooler and plop them on the fire...

People who tried these on Sunday, I'd like your input. Especially if you also had them at the war.

If using veal livers, cut into pieces the size of a walnut and roll in salt, fennel seeds, and sweet spices; and wrap them in pork caul fat or that of veal, or better yet, that of kid, and cook them on a spit but be careful not to overcook.

1 lb livers (I used chicken livers, which I halved)
4 tsp2 tsp salt
2 tsp1 tsp fennel
8 tsp powder douce
pork caul fat

Mix the spices and set aside. Halve livers into pieces the size of walnuts. Roll the pieces lightly in the spice mixture and then wrap them individually in two- or three-inch squares of caul fat. Skewer them with two skewers, in batches of four to six, and grill over high heat for a few minutes until lightly grilled on the outside and the caul fat is melty. Serve warm.

I generally use chicken livers as they are easier to find (I was tempted by duck livers at the market Saturday though... mmm, duck livers). I used powder douce as a sweet spice mixture; cinnamon, ginger, sugar and nutmeg are a common spice mixture used in other recipes in this collection.

What worked: Much easier to deal with when they were pre-assembled. The second batch was grilled over very high charcoal and that's the way to go - they cook quickly enough and the caul fat melts. When I made these at the war the fire wasn't hot enough and I had problems getting them fully cooked.

What didn't: I thought the salt and fennel were still on the strong side, hence my recommendation to halve them above. Powder douce does not appear in this collection; I should have made my own mixture for this using the aforementioned spices. Bad Laurel. But at least I'm admitting it and I will next time.

Will I make it again? Definitely.The original is here.

What I'm reading: Brandon Sanderson, Book One of my 10-book, ten-pound-each-book opus, because finishing the Wheel of Time series has made me want to write similar length.

Comments

[hrj.livejournal.com]

They were still a bit on the salty side, but this time it felt more like it was just that they were meant to be salty rather than being over-salted. Does that make sense? Since you're not going to be eating dozens of these at a time, they work as a contrast to other tastes. The fennel was the most prominent flavor of the spices-- almost the only noticeable one. But overall, they were pretty close to perfect this time.

[dame-cordelia.livejournal.com]

Having tasted both attempts at the War, I like this version best. I'm sure that preparing the livers indoors was far less of a challenge without the wind blowing the spices around.

The current spicing suited me just fine.

I admit to liking salt more than some people, but I think the reason I think you shouldn't change the recipe any more is that I consider the livers to be more of a tidbit or canape. Canapes are expected to be a bit more seasoned than a food item that you are going to eat a larger portion of.

Delicious

[etaine-pommier.livejournal.com]

What hrj said. I think cutting back on the salt is a good idea, not sure about the fennel. Of course, I like fennel, so maybe I'm not the right person to ask. :)

"Canapes are expected to be a bit more seasoned"

[tafelspitz.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Monday's rendition of the livers would be perfect as a tapa or bar snack. Hot, juicy, savoury, and just that little bit too salty to encourage you to drink more.

[aastg.livejournal.com]

Yeah, they were a little on the salty side, but I wouldn't say over-salted, because the other flavors came through just fine. I love fennel, so you could have used more - I'm guessing, though, that only a serious hater of fennel would have thought there was too much in these.

I thought they were FABU. I'll be happy to try further tweakings of the recipe, however.

[vittoriosa.livejournal.com]

I am bummed I missed these! They were delish at the War.

I was actually thinking about the bbq'd livers last night as I was reading the fabulous little cookbook I picked up in Venice last weekend. :-) There's a recipe for chicken liver pate, and another for pappardelle with sauteed chicken livers, which sounded delicious, and made me think about medieval chicken liver recipes. 'Cause that's how my brain goes.

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

There's this one that I've thought of trying:

If you want to make mortadelle, take a pork liver and the intestinal caul or casing. Take the liver and let it boil, when it is cooked pull it out of the water. Take good herbs, pepper, eggs, cheese and sufficient salt. Take the liver and these things and mix/grind them together in a mortar until they are well pasted. Temper (the mixture) with eggs and a little bit of the cooking water (left) from the liver. Then take the caul and make the mortadelle (type of rolled sausages or faggots). And when they (the faggots) are made fry them in good strained grease. When they are fried send them hot to the table.

The charcuterie doc probably has some more in it.