Calf’s Liver Campania–style

Fegato di Vitello alla Campana
Gilda used to make us liver and onions as we were growing up – she used to use calf’s liver because she claimed it was more tender than that of beef. I have had both and would agree, although beef liver is higher in nutritional content that that of calf. Over the years much concern has been raised about liver because of high cholesterol level and the nature of liver itself. As far as cholesterol goes, if your doctor tells you not to have this food because of high bad cholesterol rate in your blood, then don’t eat it. As far as the other concern – the nature of the organ itself – the liver acts as the detoxifier of a living body, consequently there have been legitimate concerns over toxicity levels in the organ – most animals have been given hormones and food additives that tracked their way to its liver, and then to the people who later ate it. For that reason, I would highly recommend an organic source of calf’s liver, where the animal has been raised on soil certified organic and has been fed food from certified organic farms. I obtain fresh calf’s liver from Whole Foods Market, a very reliable source. There are other sources out there – just check with your local Department of Agriculture.
Gilda used to smother it in onions – it was delicious. This recipe is pretty much hers, although she did not dredge the liver, nor did she use the broth, gravy, or wine – she did use a lot more of the apple cider vinegar, however. Become your own chef and make adjustments as necessary – this is my favorite. By the way, if you’re not an onion lover, try caramelizing thinly sliced carrots and zucchini – the caramelized carrots will add that natural sweetness just as the onions would.
Ingredients for 4:
About ¾ lb calf’s liver, cut in 1 inch strips
About ½ c extra-virgin olive oil
¼ lb unsalted butter
1 lb onions, cut julienne-style
Beef broth
White wine
A good ½ c of your own brown gravy + 1 T of apple cider vinegar or white balsamic
About 2 oz flour
Italian Parsley to desired quantity (freshly cut into small pieces or dried)
1 oz sea salt
A sprinkling of pepper (optional)
Preparation:
In a frying pan, cook down the onions in the oil and butter until they are tender.
Season with salt and [pepper].
In the meantime, dredge the liver in flour, and add to the cooked onions. Mix quickly. Bathe in white wine (as much as you’d like – I add a healthy cup).
Add the brown gravy and vinegar, the parsley, and then add the salt at the end.
Serve warm with potatoes or polenta.
Note: Cook the liver at a relatively high temperature, and cook quickly. Do not add salt to the liver until the very end – adding salt early on will dehydrate the liver and make it rubbery. Also, the dredging is not obligatory, but it makes the liver softer and binds the sauce together.
Buon appetito!