Actually cooking organ meats week after week
“Chopped Liver” may have a bad rap as an underappreciated accompaniment to better fare, but there’s a reason why Chopped Liver Pate has survived the test of time. In deli counters across the country, you’ll find it in big tubs made according to Kosher laws. If you’re lucky, it will still include duck fat or smaltz, which – combined with the livers – are a special source of essential nutrients. Try it yourself and let me know what you think!…
Making a large batch of Hunter’s Pie ensures leftovers (cook once, eat twice) and a solid nutrient-dense meal. For many, it’s also the easiest way to put organ meats on the table. Why? Because our bodies require nutrients to rebuild tissues, to laugh off minor stresses, and to provide calm focus. And there is no better source than organ meats. …
Happy Thanksgiving! This year, be sure to include the giblets! I like to prepare the gravy right into the roasting pan itself. Along with the giblets, I mix in all the tasty browned bits and gelatin off the bottom of the pan. Turkey Pan-Gravy with Giblets is the perfect nutrient-dense sauce for your roast turkey and holiday sides!…
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Classic French Pork Liver Pate stands on it’s own, but also makes a beautiful accompaniment to many meals. This traditional dish may be vilified for the high vitamin A levels or cholesterol in liver. However, it’s longevity in traditional cuisine runs counter to concerns. Perhaps everything in moderation still applies!…
In my opinion, the most sustainable way to incorporate organ meats into our diet and lifestyle is to create meals that we love using these foods. The kinds of meals that our kids will later consider comfort food. The kind that they ask me to make for them on their birthdays. And while I used to scorn hiding organ meats in meals; I now consider them just another dish. Stuffed Poblanos with Extra Goodness is just one more nutrient-dense meal that my family loves….
Liver is made up of an agglomeration of cells with little connective tissue and doesn’t behave like regular muscle meat. It cooks very quickly and overcooking can often leave the meat grainy and dry, with an increased intensity of flavor. For this reason, I’ve always been skeptical of a baked or braised liver, but have also wanted to experiment since many old cookbooks include these types of recipes. I confess I was pleasantly surprised when recently preparing my own rendition of Baked Liver with Breadcrumbs and Bacon. …
I was craving the savory flavors of puttanesca… but what to do on a Monday night? Add liver! Any night is a good night for liver, but I find that if I always start the week off well, everything is easier. I created a weekly meal schedule for our family many years ago… to be sure we would have a steady relationship with the most nutrient-dense foods. Chicken Liver Puttanesca was a great Monday night meal and is sure to have a repeat appearance in our home….
Deep-fried gizzards and livers have had a special place in my heart for several years, but only recently did I finally recreate them in my kitchen! I had seen a sign advertising this Southern specialty and always wanted to try them. Recently, one of my farmers sent the recipe and another farmer had a windfall of chicken offal available for me. Serendipitously, I was able to make this recipe a couple of times in the span of a few weeks to tweak and perfect it!…
Are you afraid that beef liver is too strong or too minerally and you aren’t sure what to do with it? Are you due for some self-love today? Do you have a beautiful package of grass-fed, grass-finished liver looking back at you every time you open your freezer? If so, now’s the time to start defrosting it. If not, call your best farmer and get some. Beef liver gets an A+ in nutrient-density. And Chocolate Chili Beef Liver Pate has all the right seasonings to keep you coming back for more. …
We were inspired to make shawarma recently and, as usual, replaced the traditional with the offal. The prep for the meal was simple and the meat cooked quickly with perfect seasonings. Break up any mid-winter blues with this bright and delicious Offal Shawarma with Liver and Kidney! (Or any organs you have on hand. 🙂 …