Chicken Livers with Caramelized Onions and Madeira

Anthony Bourdain calls them "nasty bits;" they are properly referred to as "offal," but we just call them "yummy!"

Chicken livers is what we had for dinner tonight, and although for years we have enjoyed The Wagon Wheel's Thursday lunch special with bacon, mashed potatoes and brown gravy, this recipe I found in Food and Wine was healthier and oh so delicious. Here it is!

Chicken Livers with Caramelized Onions and Madeira
Adapted from Food and Wine Magazine

Serves 4

Cooking oil as needed
4 cups sliced onions
Salt and black pepper
20 ounces chicken livers, each cut in half
1/2 cup Madeira
1 large hard-cooked egg, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat. Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are well browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the onions from the pan and put on a serving platter in a 200 degree oven.

In the same frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderately high heat. Season the chicken livers salt and pepper. Put the livers in the pan in two batches and cook until browned. Turn and cook the other side until browned. The livers should still be pink inside. Remove the chicken livers from the pan and put them on top of the onions.

With the pan removed from the burner, add the Madeira to deglaze the pan. Return to the burner and boil rapidly, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits, for 1 minute or until getting thick. Pour the sauce over the livers and the onions. Garnish with the egg and parsley and serve.

I served this with an inexpensive Marques de Caceres Crianza Rioja and it was a perfect pairing!

Bon Appétit!
Chef Debbie