RoundAbout San Diego

It's Thursday night and Alex is out with his writer's group - well, actually, it's now down to him and Sally. Anyway, tonight's dinner for me was chicken livers. This is another item that Alex doesn't care to eat so I decided to have them tonight with roasted asparagus and a salad. I roasted the asparagus in a bit of olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt. After it was cooked I added a dash of balsamic vinegar. For the salad I used romaine lettuce and cucumber with the Boese family dressing. This chicken liver recipe comes from my favorite web page - http://www.epicurious.com - as usual, and is a very rich dish - easily serves 2 people. I ate half for dinner and have saved the rest for lunch tomorrow

Port-Glazed Chicken Livers and Onions

Ingredients:

2 onions, sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 pound chicken livers, halved and trimmed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup Tawny Port
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted and skinned (procedure follows) and chopped

Directions:

In a heavy skillet sauté the onions in the butter over moderately high heat, stirring, until they are golden brown and transfer them to a plate.

In a bowl toss the chicken livers, patted dry, with the flour and salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil in the skillet over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking, and in it sauté the chicken livers, turning them, for 3 minutes, or until they are just cooked through but still pink within.

Add the onions, the Port, and 3 tablespoons water and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until the liquid is thickened. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Divide the mixture between 2 heated plates, and top each serving with half the remaining parsley and half the hazelnuts.

To Toast and Skin Hazelnuts
Toast the hazelnuts in one layer in a baking pan in a preheated 350°F. oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are colored lightly and the skins blister. Wrap the nuts in a kitchen towel and let them steam for 1 minute. Rub the nuts in the towel to remove the skins and let them cool.

Serves 2

Many thanks to Epicurious.com for another fabulous recipe.