AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

 FROM

 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

FEGATO ALLA VENEZIANA

I got this version from the owner of the "Restaurant Antico Martini" in Venezia (Emilio Baldi) so its probably traditional.  Don't confuse authentic with traditional. Just like in America, nearly all Italian cooks have their own twist on any given recipe. They are all authentic - some are simply more traditional than others.

According to Signor'Baldi, "This dish is very famous around the world. The cooks of Venice use the sweetness of cooked onions to counter the somewhat bitter taste of liver. We do not know if it is true, but tales out of antiquity tell us that the Ancient Romans used figs to sweeten the dish. Today, however, onions are used".

Ingredients for 4 persons

Calf liver                                 18 ounces (500 grams±)

Onions (white or Yellow)           2 (very large)

Olive Oil (extra virgin)              as needed

Butter (unslated)                       1 or 2 ounces

Salt                                          to taste

How To Do It

Cut the liver into thin slices that are not too long.

Slice the onions very thinly.

Sautee the sliced onions in the butter and a little olive oil in a covered skillet over a low flame until they become just bold and transparent, not brown, stirring often.

Remove the onion from the flame and let them cool a bit in the skillet.

Add the cut up liver and return the skillet to a medium-high flame.

After 2 or 3 minutes, stir again and let the liver and onions cook for an additional couple of minutes.

Salt to taste.

Serve hot and accompanied  by fried polenta.

Fried polenta is cooked polenta (follow cooking instructions on the package) that has been allowed to cool to room temperature.
Cooling makes the polenta set to where you can slice it and fry the slices to a gloden brown on both sides in a butter and olive oil mix (half & half).

As I said in the first recipe, if you can't find polenta, you can use yellow corn meal or corn flour. Follow the instructions on the container for corn meal mush, except use the following amounts. The amount of water you use will be 4 times the weght of the ccorn meal. One cup of water is 8 ounces.

Buon Appetito.