Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 45 ml olive oil
- 100 g onion, sliced
- 1 garlic, minced
- 3 g thyme, fresh
- 3 g rosemary, fresh
- 2 g salt, to taste
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- 2 apple, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 30 g butter
- 340 g calf's liver, trimmed of gristle and sliced into strips
- 120 ml white wine
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 640 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbohydrates
- 36 g
- Fat
- 41 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 18 g
- Sodium
- 613 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 13 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 20 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Cholesterol
- 32 mg
- Potassium
- 845 mg
- Calcium
- 59 mg
- Iron
- 20.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 58 mg
- Phosphorus
- 597 mg
- Zinc
- 24.4 mg
- Vitamin A
- 32073 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 50 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 19 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 0.3 mg
- Folate
- 18 mcg
- Water
- 231 g
- Alcohol
- 6 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat 30ml (2 tbsp) of olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat.
Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook slowly for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and caramelized.
Stir in the minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, ensuring the garlic does not burn.
In a separate small pan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the apple slices to the butter and sauté until they are lightly browned and tender. Remove from heat and keep warm.
Transfer the cooked onion mixture to the dish with the apples and set aside.
Wipe the large pan if necessary and add the remaining 15ml (1 tbsp) of olive oil. Increase the heat to medium-high.
Place the liver strips in the pan and sauté for approximately 3 minutes, turning once, until the exterior is browned but the center remains pink (internal temperature 71°C/160°F).
Pour the white wine into the hot pan. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to release the browned bits into the liquid.
Place the liver on a serving dish and top with the warm onions and apples. Serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Soaking the liver in milk for 30 minutes before cooking can help mellow the metallic flavor.
- Do not crowd the pan when sautéing the liver, or it will steam rather than sear.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container.
Reheating: Gently warm in a pan over low heat; avoid overheating to prevent the liver from becoming rubbery.
Troubleshooting
Liver is tough and grainy.
Cause: The liver was overcooked or cooked over heat that was too low for too long.
Fix: Cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Ensure the pan is very hot before adding the liver and do not exceed 3 minutes of total cook time.
Onions are bitter or black.
Cause: The heat was too high during the caramelization process.
Fix: Cannot be fixed; discard and restart the onions.
Prevention: Keep the heat consistently low and stir the onions every few minutes.
Cultural Context
Sautéed calf's liver with onions is a classic dish with deep roots in French bistro cuisine. It's a testament to making humble ingredients shine, often found on menus as a comforting and flavorful main course. The addition of apples offers a slight regional variation, introducing a touch of sweetness to balance the richness of the liver.
