Liver and Bacon

Serves: to serve 4

Prep Time: 5 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Ready In: 25 mins

Ingredients

2 large - onions (optional)

  - duck fat or cooking oil

8 oz - smoked back bacon rashers (slices)

2 oz - plain flour (all purpose flour)

  - salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lb - lamb's liver or calves' liver

¾ pint - beef stock **

Directions

  1. If you are adding onions to this recipe (which is an extraordinarily good idea!), these should be cooked first. Peel and slice them and cook them gently in a frying pan (skillet) with duck fat (or oil) and a little salt and pepper, for about 15 minutes, or until the onions are limp. Remove the onions and set aside in a warm dish, leaving as much fat as possible in the pan.
  2. Cook the bacon rashers (slices) for about two minutes on each side and keep warm along with the onions. Meanwhile, season the flour with salt and pepper, cut the liver into slices about ½" (1cm) thick and coat each side in the seasoned flour. Fry lightly and quickly on both sides until browned on both sides. Don't be tempted to overcook liver, it should be tender and juicy, not hard like shoe leather! Again, set aside and keep warm with the onions and bacon.
  3. Drain off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan then stir in the remaining seasoned flour and cook gently till browned, stirring all the time. Add the beef stock (** you can make this from a stock cube if you wish) and stir until the liquid boils. Re-season with a little more salt and pepper if required, then transfer to a jug or gravy dish.
  4. Served with Creamed Potatoes on an Autumn evening, I can assure you that this method of cooking and serving liver will remove any old prejudices.