Chicken Liver Crostini

View from the car window

Yesterday, the weather was suddenly fall-like, wet and chilly as the rain preceding what had been Hurricane Ernesto made its way to us. By last night as the storm reached us there was sheeting rain and heavy wind, which I watched and listened to from inside my warm, brightly-lit kitchen while I made my first fall meal of the season. I love storms, and being snug and warm in the kitchen with pots bubbling on the stove while outside rain pours, wind blows, or snow falls is one of the most enjoyable things I can think of. It's right up there with one of the other things I like best about stormy weather: lying snug in your bed and reading a good book while the storm rages outside.

I have a pile of recipes set aside just waiting for fall, things like soups and stews and recipes involving winter squash. This recipe with its juniper berries and sage leaves feels completely autumnal to me and a plate of crostini plus salad is a nice meal for a fall night. I have wanted to make this recipe ever since I saw it. The combination of strong flavors -- juniper berries, sage, anchovies, capers, plus pancetta -- instantly appealed to me. I was a tiny bit disappointed that the supporting flavors weren't as evident as I thought they'd be next to the chicken liver, and I think the juniper berry might have been a little more front and center if I'd first crushed it before using it. The recipe didn't call for this but I noticed that all the juniper berries came out of the food processor pretty much intact. Next time I make this I think I will also add about a teaspoon of red pepper flakes which I've noticed in a somewhat similar recipe in the Babbo Cookbook.

This recipe comes from Second Helping From Union Square Cafe by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano, and serves 8 to 16 as an appetizer. It should keep well and I expect the flavor to improve. 

Chicken Liver Crostini

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup coarsely chopped pancetta

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 fresh sage leaves

3 juniper berries

1/2 teaspoon capers, drained

2 anchovy fillets

8 ounces of chicken livers (about 5 medium), trimmed of fat, rinsed and patted dry

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons butter

1 fresh baguette, at least 12 inches long, sliced on a diagonal into 32 1/4 inch thick slices

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat in a 10" skillet. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat is rendered, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened, but not colored, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sage leaves, juniper berries, capers, and anchovies and cook an additional 2 minutes.

2. Season the chicken livers on both sides with salt and pepper. Add to the skillet and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine, bring to a simmer, and reduce until almost dry. Pour in the stock and simmer until reduced by half and thickened. Swirl in the butter.

3. Transfer contents of the skillet to a food processor and pulse to a chunky puree.

4. Wash and dry the skillet. Place over medium heat, pour in 1/2 cup of the oil and bring it almost to the smoking point. Add as many baguette slices as will fit into the skillet and cook until the slices are golden brown but still soft in the center, 15 to 30 seconds on each side. Drain the slices on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining baguette slices adding oil as needed.

5. Spread the warm chicken liver mixture onto the croutons and serve immediately. Or, put it in a bowl with the toasts on the side and let people serve their own.

There is no picture of my meal because my computer is having issues. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I have not lost all the pictures I've taken in the last year.  No, I have not done backups. Yes, I know that is stupid.

I was beside myself this morning when Mike's computer also seemed to have gone on the fritz and it appeared that I was to be without computer contact with the world for who knows how long, but his is now working. I have no explanation. I like to think of it as going into self healing mode. If only my computer would.

Edited to add: My computer is working again! Relief, relief, relief! No lost data.

Yet another unphotogenic foodstuff. Sigh.

Comments

[Rebecca]

Yum, this sounds great, and I know what you mean about cooking when the weather starts to change. It's much more satisfying than cooking in the heat. I was telling Leland he needs to try something like this with chicken livers before giving up on them altogether.

[aria]

those look delicious! i must compliment you on the perfect toasting you seem to have achieved also :) very nice... i love storms too, so jealous of the rain, it hasn't rained here since the middle ages.

[Miz S]

You KNOW what that looks like, right?

[Cazza]

What a perfect combination. Wild weather and delicious food. I have never been able to handle chicken livers. Love the end result as long as someone else makes it! Have you thought of mail order to Australia?

[the bee]

Ok,the truth is I am not a chicken liver kind of bee but my brother in law wants this next time he is in the country. Miz S, you are thinking what I was thinking .
Please do beef stew next or soon so I can get a good recipe. My meat always ends up tough.Help !!!

[the bee]

I forgot this by Dr. Seuss
Although it is wet and the sun is not sunny
We still can have lots of good fun that is funny ...

[Christine]

I've never made anything with juniper berries, come to think of it I don't think I've had anything with juniper berries in it so now I'm intrigued. I agree about the comfort and joy or fall & winter cooking. Those are one of the things I miss about living in London. Over here, it's summer cooking all year long. Even during rainy season.

[Tanna]

Oh, we feel about the same about storms. I do enjoy them. Liver I used to do it all the time - I think I must return to it. Your photo is lovely but it is liver.
My suggestion on the juniper berries is to fold them in wax paper and then a little newspaper and on the sidewalk or someother surface that won't break, bang em with a hammer to crack them.

[Tanna]

You are right we did eat the cake for breakfast, lunch and dinner until I decided to freeze 4 pieces for a little later!

[sher]

I can see why you wanted to make that recipe! I love all those flavors. That's a beautiful picture of the rain, by the way. It made me want to curl up with a good book too. It's starting to feel slightly cooler here too.

[bernadette]

Send me a storm and I'll send you some Dungeness crabs.

Chicken liver happens.

[Colin]

I completely agree about the wonderful feeling of cooking when it's cool and raining outside. Ah, I can't wait for the fall!

[lindy]

Lovely post. Personally, I think your supper is very photogenic. Looks delicious. I love chicken livers-and juniper berries. I think they taste a bit like gin- which I suppose may mean they have a place somewhere in the gin making process.
Ah, autumn-it's the best. Except for the extreme darkness waiting for the morning bus.

[lindy]

I mean the juniper berries taste like gin- not the chicken livers! I'm now, unfortunately, conjuring a mental image of a gin-making process involving chicken livers. That'll teach me to write a comment first thing in the morning.

[Cazza]

"Chicken liver happens."

I love it. Can't stop giggling!!!! My new expletive ... "OH .... CHICKEN LIVER!!"

[Anne N]

I've never cooked chicken livers, either. Do they taste like, um, chicken? Your recipe sounds so good and I'd love to try it.

I'm so with you on rainy day cooking. It's so cozy and comforting.

[ann]

you guys definitely got more of ernesto than we did, but regardless, i too hunkered down in the kitchen to wait him out, and my dish was ugly too (you'll see later)

this does sound DELICIOUS!

[Luisa]

Chicken livers! My favorite (I always save the one stuck inside the raw whole chicken and roast it alongside the bird - cook's treat). These look delicious!

[lobstersquad]

jealousy! we´re in the middle of a heatwave here. argh.
so much food is brown, isn´t it? I find it almost impossible to draw, half the time. That picture looks very mouthwatering.

[angela]

I have got to stop looking at your blog when I am hungry!

[Julie]

Rebecca, this is the sort of thing that I think lots of people who don't love liver still like. There's a lot more going on than just liver flavor.

aria, these toasts are fried rather than toasted which seems to be a lot easier and very flavorful. When I do toasting under the broiler I have a hard time getting everything to come out the same color.

Miz S, yes, I do. In fact it reminds me of the first time I ever made chopped liver and our brother Tom (who knew what it was) came to the dinner table with the bowl in his hand and asked Mom why she was storing the dog's stool sample in the refrigerator. And our father, who apparently believed that this was the sort of thing that might occur in his household, got a horrified look on his face and yelled, "oh my god!" while burying his face in his hands. It was very funny -- to everyone but Dad.

Cazza, I was thinking that you should come to Baltimore and have some instead of me sending it to Australia.

Bets, beef stew is a good thing for this time of year. I'll make it soon.

Christine, juniper berries are what gives gin its flavor. So think of gin without the alcohol.

Tanna, that is a really good suggestion for crushing the juniper berries. I'll try that next time.

Sher, thanks about the picture. I love rain and I love taking pictures of the rain.

bernadette, chicken liver DOES happen! I see a t-shirt slogan.

Colin, it's a very pleasant feeling, isn't it? The weather here is warm again but fall is looming on the horizon.

Lindy, thanks for calling the supper photogenic. Morning darkness is not good for waiting for busses. It also makes it much harder to get out of bed in the morning.

Cazza, we'll be sending you a t-shirt soon. Maybe even a bumper sticker to go with it.

Anne, chicken livers are much more strongly flavored than chicken. Try Luisa's suggestion of roasting the one that comes with the chicken next time you roast a whole chicken. That way you can find out if you like it without buying and preparing a whole bunch.

ann, Ernesto didn't turn out to be very much and you ugly dish didn't look all that ugly and it sounded really good.

Luisa, I've never roasted one. I'll have to try that.

Ximena, yes, brown food doesn't usually have a lot going for it looks-wise, in fact a lot of things that taste good don't look pretty as a picture at all.

angela, if you're hungry you need to go out and eat some wonderful Parisian food RIGHT AWAY! I'm thinking crepes.

[zp]

oh. there are the chicken livers leland was supposed to eat. i thought so too. one of my favorite dinners for one.