dxboon
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Inaugural Hannibal Lecter-fest 2011
Every week I get a delivery of organic vegetables and fruit grown by local California farmers. Recently, I received via this service a bunch of fresh fava beans. Naturally, being a fan of the film, "Silence Of The Lambs," my first thought for preparation of these beans was to serve them with liver and a "nice" Chianti. If you've seen the movie you are familiar with the line of dialogue that inspired my dinner tonight, as chillingly delivered by the great actor Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Hannibal Lecter to Clarice Starling:
"A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."
Well, obviously I didn't find HUMAN liver to eat tonight (Eew! Just say "no" to cannibalism! LOL!), but I did pay a visit to the trendy new butcher in town that only sells pastured, grass-fed, locally sourced beef and bought 1/2 lb. of gorgeous liver. Cousin Paul brought the Chianti. Below is our interpretation of Hannibal Lecter's gruesome meal! 
The star of the show, beef liver.
Fresh and bloody!
Marinated in fresh milk to leach out the bitterness inherent in liver.
Fresh fava beans.
The outer shell is fairly thick, and the whole resembles a giant green bean.
A close-up of the waxy beans inside.
The interior of the bean has a weird fuzziness.
The waxy shell of the bean must be blanched off before finishing the dish.
Here you can see the raw green bean inside the waxy exterior shell.
I start the entire meal by cooking some beautiful fresh bacon from the butcher shop.
Lovely!
I saute red spring onions in the bacon fat.
Meanwhile, Cousin Paul peels the outer husk off the blanched fava beans.
The final dish, liver with a side of sauteed fava beans with bacon & onions, and a glass of Chianti.
I whimsically garnished the dish with fresh camomile.
Cousin Paul's wine selection for the night.
For dessert we had 70% dark chocolate squares with our red wine.
Cheers,
Daos
Inaugural Hannibal Lecter-fest 2011
Every week I get a delivery of organic vegetables and fruit grown by local California farmers. Recently, I received via this service a bunch of fresh fava beans. Naturally, being a fan of the film, "Silence Of The Lambs," my first thought for preparation ...
re: Inaugral fest 2011
Looks good, I actually like veal liver but it's not often found on the menu. BTW, cool knife! -MW
Thanks, MW!
Calf's liver is the best, but this beef liver was so fresh and beautiful that it had no smell and was very tender. I soaked the liver in whole milk for four hours to kill the bitter, coppery taste of the organ meat. I think even non-liver lovers would've ...
yum, liver and onions are tasty
Looks delicious Daos. I love pan fried liver and grilled onions. Regards, ED-209
I think a lot of people...
...are weirded out by liver. I can see why the taste or texture could be an acquired one. I like it, but then again I tend to like strange foods. Cheers, Daos
Hi, Davo!
Do you ever cook liver at home? It's something I rarely make, but I'm always interested in recipes from others! Cheers! Daos
I am now "officially" scared of you Hannibal!
I'm just glad I'm not a census taker. By the way, when are you next "having an old friend for dinner" ? Regards, Richard.
Hehehe!
No friends for dinner -- anytime soon, at least! Bwahaha! What say you, Richard? Are you a liver lover or hater? Cheers, Daos
Daos, you kill me!
Only you would think of doing this with fava beans. Love it! Coincidentally, I purchased some sweetbreads (thymus in this case) from the market because the boys had not tried them. Soaked in acidulated water, membranes removed, dusted with flour and sauté...
Looking good!
Aussie translation needed though. Why are what look to be lamb livers called "lamb fry" and the other livers above called calf livers? Did your boy who wasn't sure he liked the sweetbreads object to the taste or texture of the organs? I find that many are...
Lamb's Fry
Lamb's Fry is definitely an English thing, and shows our roots. It refers specifically to lambs liver and is usually prepared with bacon and onions. Quite common for breakfast. As a child my mum swears I used to call it "my favorite chop". I don't recall ...
He's a surgeon waiting to happen!
The little one can't wait to start cutting, huh? That's awesome! He's daddy's boy, alright! Sweetbreads are definitely rich. There's a thick palate feel to them. Brains I am particular about. I don't like every type of preparation. Thinly sliced, floured,...
Thanks Andrew for reminding me about Victoria market
I have not been there for at least 8 years.The produce you have showed in your pictures and that of the bratwurst stall from an earlier post have prompted me to visit soon.Cheers.
A feast worthy of any cannibal!
Everything looks yummy, Daos! The bacon looks like it tasted like a slice of heaven. Was it so? I grew up eating liver once almost every week, and as such, I must have gotten tired along the way that I don´t eat it anymore, but thanks to your pictures, I ...
Well...
...my plan is that if I get fava beans next spring too, when they are at the peak of their season, that I will make liver again as an accompaniment. I like liver, but don't eat it often. I think it may be high in cholesterol. All meats in moderation, of c...
NO vegetarians allowed (Just kidding!)! :-)
You are always welcome at the Den of Evil 2.0 (my original apartment was DoE vers. 1.0). Reign will greet you at the door though, so be prepared for Labrador hair! Cheers, Daos
you made me hungry again Daos
I am jet lagged and recovering from 22 hour flight back from NY last thursday.I am waking up at 3 am. in the mornings hungry and ready for breakfast.I am thankful I have got the easter break in OZ to recover.Cooked myself a huge breakfast of bacon,eggs, m...
Glad to have inspired you...
...to rethink cooking liver. The key is definitely not to overcook it. One thing that I find helpful in ensuring a pink center is to slice a thick piece of liver lengthwise (or have the butcher do it) so I essentially have butterflied the piece of meat. C...
looks great!
given your ever wonderful foodie postings perhaps you should offer a foodie seminar at the IGOTT...! thx for sharing J
I'm a novice compared to some of these other guys!
Andrew, Art, Ping and others create much more complex dishes. I consider myself a scrounger. I make do with what I'm given! Every week is an adventure for me because of my box of seasonal ingredients. I always cook around what I receive each Saturday. Che...
Daos, IMHO this is masterchef stuff
Cooking and creating dishes with what ingredients you have been given.
Hahaha!
Thanks! Nine times out of ten what I make is edible. The one out of ten times, I have to call for pizza! Cheers, Daos
Delicious!
Delicious! Thanks for sharing your wonderful meal with us Daos! One day when you have an acquired taste for the softer flesh... You and Amanico should join forces... Then again, I should also keep in mind that Sir Anthony Hopkins has also played Van Helsi...
Yes, well, Vlad is the true gourmet...
...as there's nothing fresher than necks -- all the better for biting. LOL! Reign does circle the kitchen sometimes looking for tasty morsels to drop. He's the most efficient vacuum cleaner in the world! Cheers, Daos
Thanks!
You should try it sometime! The key is buying super fresh, premium quality liver, and not overcooking it. Try soaking the liver in milk for a few hours to cleanse the flavor a bit. Cheers, Daos