Beyond foie gras.

In the debut issue of Art Culinaire, just three years after Howard Joseph and a group of American and Israeli investors established the first foie gras farm in the United States, we dedicated ten pages to recipes, information and handling instructions for the precious fattened livers of geese and ducks. In 1986, they were relatively rarefied commodities, according to the following excerpt from that issue:

"Today, along with prized sturgeon caviar from the Caspian Sea and rare black truffles unearthed in Perigord, foie gras--both from geese and ducks--retains its position as a food for the connoisseur of richness who can boast the financial riches needed for its purchase. Even in France, foie gras d'oie and foie gras de canard are reserved for Christmas."

Now, just shy of 20 years later, chefs are multimedia superstars, cell phone-toting children order sea urchin appetizers without batting an eye, and, in the world of fine dining, foie gras is as ubiquitous as green salad and bottled water. We gratefully acknowledge the honorable gastronomic tradition, not to mention the exquisite flavor and velvety texture of a responsibly raised, skillfully seared slice of foie gras, but we have to ask: what ever happened to Christmas coming just once a year? With so many varieties of animals' livers available to the resourceful chef, we see no reason not to agitate for a little more diversity when it comes to this versatile vital organ.

Chefs Jonathan Benno, Steven Brown and Alexander Roberts all proudly cook and serve foie gras in their respective restaurants, but have agreed for this story to develop liver recipes using anything but. Think of it as a walk down memory lane, a boon to your food cost, or a challenge to your creativity. And keep counting the days until the next holiday.

FOUR-STAR PHOENIX

Jonathan Benno

Per Se * New York, New York

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IT WAS A CELEBRATED OPENING in a season full of celebrated openings: Per Se, the restaurant that marked Thomas Keller's return to New York, had had a certain segment of the city in a frenzy from the moment plans were announced. One of four restaurants in the brand new Time Warner Center's upscale restaurant collection, Per Se was in business for a mere six days when an electrical fire caused enough damage to necessitate a roughly three-month closure.

"We were all standing in the kitchen eating family meal at about 4:45 in the afternoon, and then the whole place filled up with smoke," recalls Jonathan Benno, Per Se's chef de cuisine. "The last lunch guests had left the restaurant, and it was only a matter of forty-five minutes before guests arrived for the dinner service. I remember standing outside after the fire department had evacuated us, and seeing guests show up for their dinner reservations." Benno says that in the period between the fire and the restaurant's re-opening, he "... made a lot of paper-training manuals and food descriptions. The frustrating thing was that it was like opening the restaurant again. Every week it was, 'OK, we'll [open] next week.' Then some other problem would come up, and it would be another week. The good news is that we eventually got the restaurant open, and it's been a remarkable year." Yes, it has: a table at Per Se is consistently the most sought-after reservation in town, thanks in part to the perfect four-star rating from New York Times reviewer Frank Bruni. Moira Hodgson, in a four-star review for the New York Observer, commented, "Food this wonderful defies comparison and exhibits greatness in and of itself." The restaurant received the James Beard Foundation's coveted "Best New Restaurant" award for 2004, and in accepting, Keller was quick to acknowledge Benno's role in making the restaurant an absolute standard-setter for modern fine dining.

Benno is a native of Connecticut who began his kitchen career as a teenage dishwasher. Having no desire to attend college, he left for Honolulu after graduating from high school and worked for two years in restaurants and cruise ship galleys. In early 1991, the advent of the first Gulf War decimated the travel business, and Benno found himself laid off and heading back east. Sufficiently convinced that his future was in food, he enrolled at the CIA, then found work at the Mayflower Inn, in Connecticut, under chef John Farnsworth. "[John] really clarified things, and really kind of mapped out the path I should follow," says Benno. He spent a year and a half as a line cook at Aqua, in San Francisco, followed by a year at the newly opened French Laundry, first as a commis and later as poissonier. After that it was back to New York, where Benno cooked at the original Daniel, Les Celebrites in the Essex House, and Gramercy Tavern, where he dedicated a full year to sharpening his pastry skills under the direction of pastry chef Claudia Fleming. He helped Tom Colicchio and Marco Canora open Craft as a sous chef, all the while talking with Keller about the planned New York restaurant.

"The chef and I talked about this job for about a year before we both decided it was the right thing to do, and then it was still, 'OK, you come out to California and then we'll see how it goes," says Benno of his preparation for his current position. "For the first year I kind of moved around in the kitchen. The garde manger guy broke his leg mountain biking so I worked garde manger. The fish butcher didn't work out, so I butchered fish. The second year I assumed more of a sous chef role, helping to lead a team," he explains. At French Laundry and Per Se, the kitchen brigades are divided into two teams, each with chefs de partie, sous chefs and stewards, each working the same number of service shifts.

As for the Time Warner Center, which some New Yorkers have decried as "just a big shopping mall," Benno believes it is an essential part of Per Se's success. "It's definitely a different way of doing business, but this restaurant could not exist if not for the Time Warner Center. Without getting into too much detail, there is a very special relationship between the restaurant and the building, and it was all designed with a purpose. I remember the initial reviews, talking about a luxury food court in a shopping mall. There's always going to be that stigma, but"--he pauses to gesture out the window toward the expansive view of Central Park and beyond--"I think it's worth it."

FLAVOR SAVIOR

Steven Brown

Restaurant Levain

Minneapolis, Minnesota

STEVEN BROWN LIKES TO CALL HIMSELF A CHEF WHO'S "self-taught and still learning." Born in Worland, Wyoming and raised in the Black Hills of South Dakota, Brown became obsessed as a youngster with making a certain lobster dish that shares his mother's maiden name--Newburg. He had his first cooking job at the age of 14 and, burnt out by 16, Brown figured he'd never tie on an apron again. He attended the University of Minnesota, earned a degree in economics and business administration, and started waiting tables while mulling the possibility of graduate school. It wasn't long before he drifted back to the kitchen, forgot about grad school and began to establish a reputation in Minneapolis.

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"Growing up in South Dakota, I saw a lot of canned foods, a lot of prepared stuff in restaurants that wasn't the greatest quality," he says. "I was amazed to see this nascent food movement happening in Minneapolis. It was a whole new world for me to see things being made from scratch in restaurants." After working at Cafe Brenda, an organic vegetarian restaurant, Brown took a job at the Loring Cafe, which he called "... the great experiment," with its daily changing menu and commitment to working directly with foragers and farmers. Brown cooked there for six years, three as chef. It was at the Loring Cafe that he met longtime friend and mentor Doug Flicker (see pg. 9), whom he credits with inspiring him to commit to a career in the kitchen.

"Up until that point," he explains, "I'd always said that I'd cook until I figured out how to do something else. It was about being able to make a great dinner for my girlfriend." In 1997, Brown began cooking at The Local, then spent a few months in Italy, working at La Francescana in Modena before returning for what turned out to be a short second stint at The Local.

"After cooking and traveling in Italy, returning [to The Local] was a futile endeavor," says Brown. "The volume was tremendous, too huge." He spent a year baking bread and recharging his batteries at Auriga, under Flicker, then found himself recruited for the top spot at a new venture called Rock Star.

"I learned a lot of great lessons at Rock Star, like, when you read a business prospectus, expect that the result will be quite different in real life," he says. Brown recalls working with a fashion photographer to design the interior, which was to be decorated with oversized photos. "We concepted a bunch of great ideas, and he ended up going with this very Helmut Lang 1980's look, with portraits of very emaciated people in various states of undress," he laughs. "It was pretty garish. I also learned a very good lesson about employment contracts. I thought mine protected me, but in the end I think it handcuffed me to something that I didn't ultimately want to do." Brown says that business was slow and that the restaurant suffered a "... very inglorious death. I came back from a few days in New York, and the place was closed down, and all my beautiful Japanese knives were gone."

The attorney who helped him break his employment contract, Harvey McLain, also happened to be looking for a new chef for Restaurant Levain, his fine dining restaurant in the back of the Turtle Bread Company, in an underdeveloped section of Minneapolis. Brown replaced opening chef Stewart Woodman on a Tuesday; on Wednesday, all but two cooks quit.

"It was stressful, to say the least," laughs Brown. "I called a friend who had just come back from New York and said 'officer down!' I started calling all of my friends in restaurants, and networking like crazy. I grabbed a waiter from the [Turtle Bread Company's] pizza kitchen and asked him if he'd like to be a cook. A few months later Levain got a four-star review in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and suddenly people wanted to work there again."

Brown dabbles in the molecular gastronomy movement that has enchanted a subset of chefs in the United States, and has become particularly enamored of transglutaminase, a live enzyme commonly used in mass-produced foods that allows a chef to create cellular-level, heat-activated links between proteins. He does, however, attempt to keep form from trumping function, saying, "I try to straddle the line. I don't care for some of the artifice that exists in that particular genre. Cooking things at low temperatures to preserve their flavors, that appeals to me. I try and bridge the gap between the really far-out stuff and California-style cuisine, where the flavor speaks for itself."

COMFORT (IN) SOUL

Alexander Roberts

Restaurant Alma * Minneapolis, Minnesota

IN A JUNE 2005 ARTICLE IN the San Francisco Chronicle, Peter Kupfer interviewed chefs who lamented this country's increasingly relaxed restaurant dress codes and the subsequent loosening of fine dining standards. Charlie Trotter is quoted as saying, "I call it the casualization of America, and it's a grim scene." Roland Passot of La Folie concurred, adding, "It's embarrassing sometimes. People should know how to dress and have respect for the other diners." However, Alexander Roberts, chef and co-owner of Restaurant Alma, chooses to see the trend as something of a positive milestone for the US.

"This is one of the first times a dining trend has reversed and gone back over the Atlantic to Europe," he says. "Some friends of mine were recently in a Michelin two-star restaurant and saw people with shorts and tennis shoes. It wasn't too long ago that you had to hold your silverware a certain way or someone would kind of frown at you. Now, the dollar has changed, the rules have changed, and I don't think it's a bad thing. It's about tasting the food and drinking the wine, and not about how you're dressed. At Alma, we're part of that, too. It's a comfortable, come-as-you-are place. I think the casualization of fine dining has helped us, and this type of restaurant, quite a bit."

Roberts opened Alma in 1999, after graduating from the French Culinary Institute and cooking in New York for a number of years. As a culinary student, he worked at Union Square Cafe and Bouley. He recalls, "[FCI Dean] Alain Sailhac came and told me that there was an opening at Bouley. I thought it would be a little much, working and going to school full-time, but I wasn't about to turn down the opportunity. I went to school every day from 8 am to 3 pm, then worked at Bouley from about 4 pm to 2 am. I had never seen some of the stuff that they worked with, and I took my share of lumps, but kept my head above water. Bouley is a cook through and through. I learned a lot from him about how to think about food."

Roberts helped to open Gramercy Tavern in 1994, under executive chefTom Colicchio, and after being sidelined for a few months by an appendectomy, he began cooking at Cucina, in Brooklyn, under chef Michael Ayoub. Two years later, he returned to Gramercy Tavern to work with Claudia Fleming in the pastry department. In 1998 he moved out to Minneapolis, where he'd spent most of his childhood, and waited tables for 18 months while putting together the plans for Alma.

He writes a fairly simple menu, but many of his ideas and techniques are taken from the Creole and Criollo traditions of some of his ancestors, in which flavors are created in complex layers during the initial cooking stages. Roberts describes it as, "... slow cooking, where you have an aromatic base of something that's sauteed, like sofrito or batuta. I like to use the juices from tomatoes or the natural cooking liquids from beans or potatoes or squash, layering in and thickening things without using fats or creams, which gives the food a lot more life. I have always divided food in my mind between celebration food and everyday food. The food that I was trained to cook, classical French cuisine and high cuisine, is celebration food. It's wonderful, but if you eat that way every day, you're not going to feel that good. Creole and Criollo cuisines are everyday foods that will make you feel energetic and powerful." Of course, his kitchen doesn't entirely eschew fat or cream; in fact, his cooks render their own duck fat and lard, and lately Roberts has been finishing sauces with a judiciously chosen dash of olive oil.

"I love to hear a customer in their fifties or sixties say that my food reminds them of food from when they were young," he says. "It speaks to a time when food was generally grown on a smaller scale. Everybody talks about sourcing, sourcing, sourcing, and organic this and fresh that, but it really comes down to how people raise the food. Something can be organic and fresh and still not taste good. There's the skill of the grower or farmer to be taken into account. We try and look for food that has been raised with an extra level of care."

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RELATED ARTICLE: Monkfish Liver Torchon with Marinated Nameko and Hon Shimeji Mushrooms (Serves 4)

Jonathan Benno

Sherry

Lustau Almacenista Manzanilla Pasada, Cuevas Jurado

Sanlucar de Barrameda, Spain NV

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directions

For the foie gras cure: Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

For the yuzu salt: Using mortar and pestle, grind yuzu and salt together.

For the torchon: In bowl, combine water and cure, stirring to dissolve. Place liver in mixture and cure in refrigerator three hours. Drain liver and pat dry. Trim all membranes and connective tissue and sprinkle with gelatin. Place liver on cheesecloth and create cylinder 5 X 2 1/4-inches by rolling then twisting the ends in opposite directions. Tie ends with twine and vacuum seal using Cryovac[R]. Bring medium pot of water to 148 degrees and cook torchon in Cryovac[R] for three hours. Chill in ice water bath.

For the pickled radishes and daikon: Bring 1 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and salt to simmer and cook radishes about five minutes. Cook daikon in same liquid, about five minutes, and remove. Reduce liquid to glaze and add radishes. Add red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate. To finish daikon, bring Champagne vinegar and remaining water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Pour over daikon and let cool. Chill in refrigerator.

For the cucumber: Combine water and salt in small bowl. Cut cucumber into 1/8-inch thick slices and then into small diamonds and store in ice water, covered, for one hour.

For the marinated mushrooms: In saute pan, heat canola oil and cook mushrooms without browning, about two minutes. Add shallots and cook until translucent. Stir in vegetable stock, zest and juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

To serve: Unwrap torchon and slice into 1-inch thick rounds. Trim each slice with 2-inch diameter round cutter and season with yuzu salt. Place one torchon slice in shallow bowl and spoon mushrooms around. Scatter radishes, daikon and cucumbers atop mushrooms. Garnish with radish sprouts and cilantro shoots and serve

ingredients

For the foie gras cure:

18 ounces salt
1 3/4 ounces granulated sugar
5 1/2 ounces curing salt
1 3/4 ounces finely ground white peppercorns

For the yuzu salt:

1 tablespoon yuzu powder*
2 1/2 tablespoons sea salt

For the torchon:

4 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup foie gras cure, from above
1 pound monkfish liver
Powdered gelatin

For the pickled radishes and daikon:

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 radishes, peeled and scooped with 3/8-inch Parisienne scoop
4 daikon, peeled and finely diced
Red wine vinegar to taste
1 1/2 ounces Champagne vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste

For the cucumber:

3 cups ice water
1 tablespoon salt
4 English cucumbers, peeled

For the marinated mushrooms:

3 tablespoons canola oil
4 1/4 ounces nameko mushrooms
4 1/4 ounces hon shimeji mushrooms
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup vegetable stock
Zest and juice of 1 Meyer lemon Salt and black pepper to taste

For garnish:

Yuzu salt, from above
Radish sprouts
Cilantro shoots

*Concentrated, dried yuzu juice. Available through Earthy Delights, www.earthy.com or [phone].

RELATED ARTICLE: Squab Breast "Cuit Sous Vide" with Squab Liver Mousse "en Crouton" (Serves 4)

Jonathan Benno

Pinot Hoir "Litterai"

Hirsch Vineyard

SonOma, CA 2002

directions

For the squab legs: Place legs in small baking dish. Combine salt, thyme and bay leaf in small bowl, then distribute evenly over and around legs. Press under kitchen weights for two hours. Remove weights, rinse legs and pat dry. Divide among two Cryovac[R] bags, divide duck fat among bags and seal tightly. Preheat oven to 180 degrees, place bags in water bath and cook legs in oven approximately two hours, or until desired tenderness. Remove from heat, let cool, and reserve legs and fat separately.

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For the squab breasts: Remove skin from breasts and reserve. Brush breasts with reserved duck fat and place in refrigerator until fat solidifies. Place breasts in Cryovac[R] bag and seal so that bag is medium-snug around breasts. Heat medium saucepan of water to 140 degrees and cook breasts in water 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set in ice bath until chilled. Refrigerate until needed. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Spread reserved skin on Silpat[R] mat and sprinkle with salt. Place additional mat over skin, press with cast-iron pan, and cook in oven for 45 minutes to one hour, until crisp. Remove from oven and set aside.

For the squab jus: Cut bones into 1/2-inch lengths and remove excess blood with paper towel. In heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil over high heat until nearly smoking and add bones. Cook bones until caramelized, then remove and set aside. Discard excess fat and return pan to heat, adding shallots, carrots, leeks and tomatoes. Stir with wooden spoon over high heat for three minutes, then stir in squab stock, scraping bottom of pan to dislodge browned bits. Return bones to pan, bring mixture to a boil and reduce by half. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer 45 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through fine-mesh sieve into clean saucepot. Bring to a boil and reduce until sauce is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and set aside, keeping warm.

For the squab liver mousse "en crouton": In saute pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat until it foams and subsides. Add livers and saute to medium-well. Remove from pan and set aside. Add shallots to pan, reduce heat and cook until soft and translucent. In a small food processor fitted with metal blade, combine liver and shallots and puree until smooth. Pass mixture through fine-mesh sieve and fold in remaining butter, creme fraiche and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Place each circle on sheet pan and toast in oven until golden brown and completely dry, about 10 minutes. Set aside until ready to serve.

For the turnips: In small pot, combine stock, honey and butter and whisk to help honey dissolve. Add turnips, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until turnips are tender, about five minutes. Remove turnips from pan and set aside. Continue to cook stock mixture until reduced to glaze consistency. Return turnips to pan and toss over medium heat 30 seconds to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Heat confit legs under broiler until warm and transfer to plate. Reheat breasts in simmering water, remove from Cryovac[R] package, and divide each breast into two halves. Cut each into three slices and arrange on center of plate. Drizzle squab jus alongside each serving. Top crouton with small quenelle of liver mousse and place on plate. Arrange turnips, figs and sylvetta leaves on plate. Garnish mousse with chives, fleur de sel, squab breast skins and serve immediately.

ingredients

For the squab legs:

Legs of two 1-pound squab, bones removed from thighs and reserved
3/4 cup salt
10 to 15 springs thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups duck fat, room temperature

For the squab breasts:

Breasts of two 1-pound squab
Reserved duck fat, from above
Salt to taste

For the squab jus:

Reserved squab bones, from above
7 tablespoons canola oil
1 shallot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 leek, white part only, coarsely chopped
1/2 small tomato, coarsely chopped
1 cup squab stock
2 cups duck stock
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
4 parsley stems
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
10 black peppercorns
Salt and pepper to taste

For the squab liver mousse "en crouton":

1 tablespoon butter
2 squab livers
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon creme fraiche
41 X 1/4-inch brioche rounds
Salt and pepper to taste

For the turnips:

2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon Acacia honey
1 teaspoon butter
4 Tokyo turnips, peeled and trimmed
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

4 figs, cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
Young sylvetta leaves*
Finely chopped chives
Fleur de sel

*Sylvetta is a relative of arugula, which may be substituted.

RELATED ARTICLE: Rabbit Liver and Kidney Roulade (Serves 4)

Jonathan Benno

Riesling

Clos Saint Urbain

Alsace, France 2000

directions

For the stuffing: In saute pan, melt duck fat and cook shallots until translucent. Add liver and kidney and cook through. Let cool, then chop finely. Stir in vinegar and quatre epice. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

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For the rabbit: Separate loin from rack; split and French rack and refrigerate. Bone out loin, keeping it connected at spine. Fill loin with stuffing and roll lengthwise. Wrap bacon around loin, then wrap loin in plastic. Bring large pot of water to 145 degrees and poach loin about eight minutes. Chill in ice water bath and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the pickled shallots: Place shallots in small bowl. In small saucepan, combine water, vinegar and sugar, and bring to boil. Pour over shallots and let cool. Drain and set aside.

For the Paloise syrup: In small saucepan, combine vinegar, wine, coarsely chopped mint and peppercorns. Bring to boil and reduce until nearly dry. Add veal stock, bring to boil and simmer 10 minutes. When cool, whisk in egg whites and bring back to a boil to clarify. Lift out egg whites and strain liquid through fine-mesh sieve. Add glucose and reduce to syrup consistency. Stir in finely chopped mint and shallots. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the peas and carrots: Blanch peas and carrots separately in salted water. Chill in ice water bath and refrigerate until ready to use.

To finish: Remove plastic wrap from loin. In saute pan, heat half of canola oil over high heat. Season loin with salt and pepper and sear on all sides until golden brown. Remove from heat, wipe out pan and heat remaining oil. Season rack with salt and pepper, sear on all sides and roast in oven to rare, about five minutes. Let rest five minutes. In separate saute pan melt butter over high heat without browning. Stir in chicken stock. Add peas and carrots and cook until just glazed. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve: Cut roulade into four slices, and the rack into four portions of about six ribs each. Place one roulade slice and one portion of rack on plate. Spoon Paloise syrup around rabbit. Toss pea shoots with olive oil and salt, and arrange beside rack with peas and carrots. Serve immediately.

ingredients

For the stuffing:

1 3/4 ounces duck fat
3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 rabbit liver
1 rabbit kidney
1 1/2 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar*
Pinch quatre epice**
Salt and pepper to taste

For the rabbit:

1 rabbit
Stuffing, from above
8 ounces bacon, thinly sliced

For the pickled shallots:

1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Paloise syrup:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup white wine
2 bunches mint, coarsely chopped, plus 10-12 leaves, finely chopped
50 black peppercorns
5 cups veal stock
2 egg whites
10 1/2 ounces glucose syrup
Pickled shallots, from above
Salt and pepper to taste

For the peas and carrots:

8 ounces snap peas, shucked
8 ounces baby carrots, peeled

To finish:

Rabbit rack and stuffed loin, from above
7 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chicken stock
Peas and carrots, from above
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Pea shoots
Olive oil to taste
Salt to taste

*Oak-aged vinegar made from Banyuls wine, a fortified wine from Banyuls-sur-Mer, France. Available through www.igourmet.com.

**A mixture of white pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamonand cloves, blended in-house at Per Se.

RELATED ARTICLE: Liver and Onions (Serves 4)

Jonathan Benno

Shiraz

By Farr Winery

Geelong, Australia 2001

directions

For the calf's liver: Combine liver and milk in shallow dish, cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Remove, drain and pat dry. Trim and discard any veins or connective tissue. Cut liver into four equal portions and set aside in refrigerator.

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For the cabbage puree: In large pot, bring water and salt to boil. Blanch cabbage in small batches until very soft; chill in ice water. Drain, squeezing out excess moisture. In food processor fitted with metal blade, puree cabbage until smooth and pass through a fine-mesh sieve. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside at room temperature.

For the pearl onions: Place red and white onions in separate pots. Divide stock, butter and sugar equally between pots. Simmer until tender. Add red wine vinegar to red onions and Champagne vinegar to white onions. Reduce until onions are glazed and set aside at room temperature.

For the mustard sauce: In small saucepan, reduce vinegar with shallots until dry. Add veal stock and reduce until thick enough to coat back of spoon. Whisk in Dijon mustard and butter and strain through fine-mesh sieve. Stir in whole grain mustard and keep warm.

For the onion rings: In bowl, combine cake flour, cornstarch, salt and baking powder. Stir in soda water until mixture is consistency of thin pancake batter. In deep-fryer or tall-sided pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. Dip rings in batter and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

To finish: In small saucepan, heat cabbage puree. Season flour with salt and pepper. Heat canola oil in a medium saute pan. Dredge liver in seasoned flour and sear both sides until liver is medium-rare, about four minutes per side.

To serve: Slice each portion of liver into three pieces and place on plate with mustard sauce and cabbage puree. Place red and white onions on plate and arrange onion rings atop liver. Garnish with chive tip and serve immediately.

ingredients

For the calf's liver:

14 ounces calf's liver
1 quart milk

For the cabbage puree:

2 gallons water
1 1/2 cups salt, plus more to taste
1 pound savoy cabbage, outer leaves, core and ribs removed
Pepper to taste

For the pearl onions:

8 red pearl onions, peeled and scored at root end
8 white pearl onions, peeled and scored at root end
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Champagne vinegar

For the mustard sauce:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup veal stock
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
9 ounces unsalted butter
1/4 cup whole grain mustard

For the onion rings:

1 cup cake flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Soda water, chilled, as needed
2 quarts canola oil
2 Vidalia onions, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick rings

To finish:

2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

Chive tips

RELATED ARTICLE: Duck Liver Ravioli with Duck Breast, Sherry-Macerated Figs and Manchego Milk (Serves 4)

Steven Brown

Bordeaux

Chateau des Jacobins

Pomerol, France 1998

directions

For the duck ravioli filling: In shallow dish, combine livers and milk and refrigerate, covered, overnight. In bowl, combine sugar, salt, thyme, garlic and parsley. Place gizzards in separate bowl, cover completely with sugar mixture, cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove gizzards, brush off excess sugar mixture and place in small pan. Cover with duck fat and cook in oven four to five hours. Let cool and finely chop. Drain livers and pat dry. Heat oil in saute pan and sear livers. Add shallots and cook until soft. Add sherry to deglaze. Remove livers, roughly chop, and pass through fine-mesh sieve. In bowl, combine livers, gizzards, spinach, glace, egg, cheese and breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.

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For the sherry-macerated figs: In saucepan, combine sherry, figs, shallots, bay leaf and peppercorns, season with salt and bring to simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until figs are plump. Transfer to airtight container and macerate overnight in refrigerator. Remove figs and reserve. Transfer liquid to saucepan. Add vinegar and stock, bring to boil and reduce to glaze consistency. Set aside at room temperature.

For the ravioli: In bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook, combine flours and salt. On low speed, add eggs one at a time, allowing each to be incorporated. Add oil and two tablespoons water and continue mixing for 15 minutes. If dough is too dry to hold together, add some of remaining water. Transfer dough to work surface and knead several minutes to form ball. Wrap in plastic and let rest at least 30 minutes before rolling. Roll dough to thinnest setting on pasta machine. Cut dough into 2-inch circles. Place one teaspoon filling on a circle and fold in half, pressing edges to seal. Repeat with remaining circles and filling. Transfer ravioli to sheet pan lined with parchment paper, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the manchego milk: In saucepan, bring milk, cream and stock to simmer. Whisk in butter one tablespoon at a time. Transfer to blender with cheese and puree. Season with salt and cayenne and pass through fine-mesh sieve. Keep warm.

For the garlic scapes: Heat butter in saute pan until it foams and subsides. Cook scapes over medium heat until tender, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

To finish: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in saute pan over high heat. Season duck with salt and pepper and sear, skin side down, until skin is browned and crisp. Turn and finish cooking in oven until flesh is medium rare. Let rest five minutes and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices. Bring large pot of salted water to boil, add ravioli and cook until ravioli float and pasta is tender, about three minutes. Drain. Spoon Manchego milk onto plate and top with ravioli. Arrange duck slices and figs on plate, drizzle figs with glaze, garnish with scapes and serve immediately.

ingredients

For the duck ravioli filling:

8 ounces duck livers, trimmed
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon thyme
4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
8 ounces duck gizzards, cleaned
3 cups duck fat, melted
1/4 cup olive oil
4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup East India solera-style sherry
4 cups spinach, blanched and finely chopped
2 tablespoons duck glace
1 egg
4 ounces shredded Manchego cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

For the sherry-macerated figs:

2 cups East India solera-style sherry
8 Black Mission figs
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon duck stock
Salt to taste

For the ravioli:

1 pound durum flour
4 ounces all-purpose flour
1/2 ounce sea salt
4 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup water
Duck ravioli filling, from above

For the Manchego milk:

4 ounces sheep's milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup butter
4 ounces finely grated Manchego cheese
Sea salt and cayenne pepper to taste

For the garlic scapes:

2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic scapes, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

To finish:

1/4 cup canola oil
2 duck breasts
Ravioli, from above

RELATED ARTICLE: Braised Pork Belly with Calf's Liver Tempura (Serves 4)

Steven Brown

Trappist Ale

Chimay Grand Reserve

directions

For the pork belly: Combine water, sugar and salt and bring to simmer. Place pork in non-reactive pan, pour brine over, cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Preheat oven to 150 degrees. Transfer belly and four cups brine to baking pan and add stock. Tie remaining ingredients in cheesecloth and place in pan. Weigh pork down with plate and cover tightly with foil. Bring to simmer on stove, then finish cooking in oven 24 hours. Cool belly in liquid. Remove belly and press between two plates weighted with heavy can overnight in refrigerator.

For the calf's liver: Place liver and milk in shallow dish, cover and refrigerate 24 hours. Remove, drain and pat dry. Trim and discard any veins or connective tissue. Cut liver into strips and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the caramelized onion gelee: In large shallow pot, heat oil and cook onions slowly until deep golden brown. Raise heat to high, deglaze with vermouth and cider and reduce until almost dry. Stir in stock and let cool two hours. Strain twice through fine-mesh sieve and season with salt and cayenne pepper. Chill and skim fat and strain again. Soak gelatin in 1/2 cup of liquid and bring remaining liquid to simmer. Add gelatin and stir to dissolve. Strain again and pour into pan so that gelee is 1/4-inch thick. Chill until set, cut into desired shapes and refrigerate.

For the Belgian ale foam: In small saucepan, heat demiglace, add ale and reduce until mixture coats back of wooden spoon. Whisk in butter, milk and lecithin. Season with salt and pepper and set aside at room temperature.

For the tempura: In deep-fryer or tall-sided pot, heat oil to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients and place half in bowl for dredging. Whisk ale into remaining dry mixture to make thin batter. Dredge liver strips, dip in batter and deep-fry until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.

To finish: Heat oil in saute pan over medium-low heat. Cook belly skin side down in pan until browned, with piece of aluminum foil and another pan on belly for weight. Remove from pan and cut in 1-inch thick slices. Gently reheat foam in small saucepan, then froth with immersion blender until medium bubbles appear, about two minutes.

To serve: Spoon small amount of beef glace onto plate and place slice of belly, gelee and tempura on top with foam. Garnish with sage leaves sprinkled with pollen and cheese. Serve immediately.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the pork belly:

2 quarts water
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sea salt
1 pound pork belly, trimmed
1 quart chicken stock
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 sprigs thyme
6 peppercorns
3 allspice berries
3 bay leaves
1-inch cinnamon stick

For the calf's liver:

8 ounce calf's liver, trimmed
2 cups milk

For the caramelized onion gelee:

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 1/2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sweet vermouth
2 tablespoons apple cider
1 cup veal stock
3 sheets gelatin
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

For the Belgian ale foam:

1 cup demi-glace
1/2 cup Belgian ale
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon lecithin*
Sea salt and pepper to taste

For the tempura:

2 quarts canola oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 cup white Belgian ale
Liver, from above
Salt to taste

To finish:

2 tablespoons canola oil
Pork belly, from above
Belgian ale foam, from above

For the garnish:

Beef glace
Deep-fried sage leaves
Bee pollen**
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

*An extract of egg, soy or corn, used as an emulsifier and / or a stabilizer. Available in powdered form through Mountain Rose Herbs, [phone] or mountainroseherbs.com.

**Pollen gathered by bees from stamens of flowers and harvested from hives. It is a soft, granular powder with sweet and acidic flavors. Available at health food stores.

RELATED ARTICLE: Lamb Liver with Cerignola Olive-Wrapped Lamb Loin (Serves 4)

Steven Brown

Pinot Noir, Mark Bradford Vineyard

Domaine Serene

Willamette Valley, Oregon 2001

directions

For the lamb liver: In bowl, combine all ingredients and marinate in refrigerator overnight.

For the lamb loin: In food processor fitted with metal blade, puree olives, oil and ink until smooth. Remove loins from rack, reserving tenderloins for another use. Cut loins in half crosswise, then cut each half lengthwise to create single thin pieces. Place meat between sheets of plastic wrap and pound gently to create even, thin layers of lamb. Season loins with salt and pepper and brush thin layer of transglutaminase on one side of each piece. Roll the loins, then brush olive puree on one side. Roll tightly in plastic, twisting ends to hold shape. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil, twisting ends to hold shape. Refrigerate overnight.

For the garam masala yam puree: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub yams with oil and place on sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake one hour or until very soft. Remove skin and place yams in food processor fitted with metal blade. In small saucepan, heat butter and cream. Add garam masala to saucepan, then add heated mixture to food processor and puree with yams until smooth. Pass through fine-mesh sieve, season with salt and keep warm.

For the glazed onions: In bowl, pour hot water over onions and let sit 10 minutes. Drain onions, trim root end and peel. In separate bowl, toss onions with two tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining oil in saute pan over medium-high heat, add onions and brown on both sides. Add stock, honey, thyme and bay leaves and reduce liquid by half. Stir in butter and continue reducing until onions are glazed. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

To finish: Heat large pot of water to 130 degrees, add loins and cook 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat grill or grill pan. Drain liver, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Brush with oil and grill two to three minutes, until medium rare. Cut into four pieces. Remove loins from water and slice off ends. Unwrap and cut in half.

To serve: Spoon small amount beef glace onto plate and arrange liver and loin halves on top with onions and yam puree. Garnish with green onion and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the lamb liver:

1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 bay leaves, crushed
6 ounces lamb liver, trimmed

For the lamb loin:

1 cup Cerignola olives, pitted
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon squid ink
2 lamb loin racks
3/4 ounce transglutaminase, activated per instructions on package*
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garam masala yam puree:

1 pound garnet yams
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon garam masala
Sea salt, to taste

For the glazed onions:

4 cups hot water
16 cippolini onions
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup lamb stock
2 teaspoons honey
10 sprigs thyme
4 bay leaves
3/4 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste

To finish:

Lamb loins, from above
Lamb liver, from above
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Beef glace
Green onions, grilled

*An enzyme with the ability to cross-link proteins, produced by the microbial fermentation of naturally occurring organisms. Available through Ajinomoto Food Ingredients, LLC, www.ajiusafood.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Seared Monkfish Liver and Sea Scallops with Risotto Nero (Serves 4)

Steven Brown

Pouilly-Fuisse "Terroir de Vergisson"

Domaine Olivier Merlin

Burgundy, France 2000

directions

For the monkfish liver: Rinse liver in water and pat dry. Place liver in non-reactive bowl, salt well on both sides and let sit one hour. Rinse again and pat dry. Return to bowl and add remaining ingredients. Marinate four hours or overnight. Remove from marinade and trim. Slice 1/4-inch thick, lay in single layer on parchment paper, and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the tobikko sauce: Boil water in saucepan and remove from heat. Whisk in butter one piece at a time to emulsify, placing over heat as needed to make sauce smooth. Using immersion blender, mix in glace, clam juice, stock and xanthan gum. Add fish sauce, lemon juice and vinegar and set aside at room temperature.

For the risotto nero: In saucepan, combine stocks and bring to simmer. In tall-sided pot, heat oil with one tablespoon butter and cook onions and garlic until soft. Stir in rice. Mix wine and ink together, and add to rice, stirring until almost dry. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat, adding 1/4 cup stock at a time and stirring until absorbed. Do not let mixture boil. When rice is cooked, stir in remaining butter, chorizo, cheese, scallions and peppers. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

To finish: Season scallops and reserved liver with salt and pepper. In saute pan, heat butter until browned. Sear scallops and liver together and turn, adding garlic and thyme. Baste with butter, remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Gently reheat tobikko sauce, stir in caviar and season with salt to taste.

To serve: Place risotto on plate. Arrange liver and scallops atop risotto and spoon sauce around. Garnish with mizuna and scallions and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the monkfish liver:

1 monkfish liver
Sea salt, as needed
2 cups fino sherry
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bunch thyme

For the tobikko sauce:

1/2 tablespoon water
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 tablespoon lobster glace
2 tablespoons clam juice
2 tablespoons chicken stock
Pinch of xanthan gum*
Thai fish sauce, to taste
Lemon juice, to taste
Sherry vinegar, to taste

For the risotto nero:

2 cups chicken stock
2 cups lobster stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 white onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup carnaroli rice
2 tablespoons white wine
1/2 tablespoon squid ink
1 tablespoon finely chopped chorizo
1/2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon finely chopped scallions
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

To finish:

4 large sea scallops
4 tablespoons butter
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 sprig thyme
1 ounce red tobikko caviar
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Mizuna leaves
Thinly sliced scallions

*Xanthan gum is a powder derived from a dried microorganism called Xanthonomonas campestris. It has binding and emulsifying properties. Available at health food stores.

RELATED ARTICLE: Chicken Liver Mousse with Bacon and Port Wine Syrup (Serves 4)

Steven Brown

Vouvray Demi-Set "Le Mont"

Domaine Huet

Vouvray, France 2000

directions

For the pickled day lilies: Fill tall-sided pot with enough waterto cover 1-quart canning jar halfway. Bring water to a boil. Tie allspice, cinnamon and cloves in cheesecloth and place in jar. In saucepan, bring sugar, salt and vinegar to boil, lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add lilies to jar and pour hot liquid over to fill to 1/2-inch from rim of jar. Seal with lid and lower carefully into boiling water. Pour in additional boiling water until jar is covered by one inch. Boil five minutes, remove from water and let cool at room temperature. Jar is properly sealed if lid does not flex when pressed in center. Store several weeks before using.

For the chicken liver mousse: In small bowl, combine livers and milk and refrigerate overnight. Drain and rinse livers and pat dry. Heat one tablespoon oil in saute pan over medium-high heat. Add livers and saute to medium-rare. Deglaze with cognac, remove livers from pan and let cool. In food processor fitted with metal blade, puree livers with butter and cream until smooth, adding small amount of stock if necessary. Pass through fine-mesh sieve. Heat remaining oil in saute pan and cook shallots until soft. Let cool and fold into mousse with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate at least four hours.

For the port wine syrup: Combine wine and honey in small saucepan and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium and reduce until mixture coats back of spoon. Stir in vinegar and salt to taste and keep warm.

For the toast cubes: Cut bread into 2-inch cubes. Heat butter in saute pan over medium-high heat until it foams and subsides, then add bread, cooking until golden brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels and season with salt to taste.

To serve: Place quenelle of mousse, toast cube, strip of bacon and several day lilies on plate. Spoon small amount of syrup around and garnish with micro arugula and chives. Serve immediately.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the pickled day lilies:

5 allspice berries
2-inch cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
4 ounces fresh day lily buds*, stem and stamens removed

For the chicken liver mousse:

12 ounces chicken livers
2 cups milk
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons Cognac
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup cream
Chicken stock, as needed
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
Nutmeg to taste
Sea salt and freshly ground tellicherry pepper, to taste

For the port wine syrup:

1 cup port wine
1 tablespoon honey
Banyuls vinegar**, to taste
Salt to taste

For the toast cubes:

1/4 loaf white bread, crust removed
1/4 cup butter
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Crisped bacon strips
Micro arugula
Chives

*Available through Wild Pantry, [phone] or www.wildpantry.com.

**Oak-aged vinegar made from Banyuls wine, a fortified wine from Banyuls-sur-Mer, France. Available through www.igourmet.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Bread Crumb Crusted Bison Liver with Lemon Sauce (Serves 4)

Alexander Roberts

Vouvray Moelleux "Clos du Petit Mont"

Allias Pere et Fils

Vouvray, France 2001

directions

For the liver: Cut liver into 3-inch strips and place in shallow dish. Whisk together remaining ingredients, pour half over liver, cover and refrigerate overnight. Reserve remaining marinade for dressing greens.

For the lemon sauce: In bowl, combine yolk, mustard, vinegar, juice and salt, whisking to dissolve salt. Add oil one drop at a time, whisking constantly, gradually adding larger amounts of oil as sauce emulsifies. Stir in zest and add Tabasco[R] and cayenne to taste.

For the greens: In bowl, combine greens and vegetables and toss with reserved marinade. Add juice and season with salt and pepper.

To finish: In deep fryer or tall-sided pot, heat oil to 375 degrees. Remove liver from marinade, drain well and pat dry. Discard marinade. Dredge liver in cornstarch, dip in egg and coat with breadcrumbs. Fry strips until golden brown on both sides, drain on paper towels and season with salt.

To serve: Arrange greens on plate. Spoon lemon sauce next to greens. Arrange liver atop sauce and garnish with chives. Serve immediately.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the liver:

1 pound bison liver*
Juice of 4 oranges
1/4 cup hazelnut oil
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ponzu
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt

For the lemon sauce:

1 egg yolk
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Dash of Tabasco[R] sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Sea salt, to taste

For the greens:

6 ounces mixed baby lettuce
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
Reserved marinade, from above
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

To finish:

1 quart grapeseed oil
Liver, from above
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Finely chopped chives

*Available through North Star Bison, [phone] or www.northstarbison.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Chicken Liver Pate Bruschetta with Poached Apricots and Port Wine Jus (Serves 4)

Alexander Roberts

Vintage Porto

Quinta do Crasto

Douro, Portugal 1995

directions

For the pate: Season liver with salt and pepper. Coat saute pan with 1 tablespoon oil and sear liver over high heat until well-browned. Remove livers and reduce heat to medium. Add onions to pan and saute until browned. Stir in anchovies, then wine, and reduce until almost syrupy. Return liver to pan to finish cooking through. Remove from heat and transfer to plate to facilitate cooling. When cooled completely, puree liver with remaining oil until almost smooth. Stir in red pepper flakes and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the poached apricots: In saucepan, combine all ingredients, cover with water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until fruit is soft but not falling apart. Keep warm.

For the port wine jus: In saute pan over high heat, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and cook shallots until lightly browned. Drain excess butter, add port and reduce by half. Stir in demi-glace and reduce until sauce coats back of spoon. Strain through fine-mesh sieve, add herbs, red pepper and salt and pepper. Whisk in remaining butter to emulsify. Remove from heat and keep warm.

For the bruschetta: Preheat grill or grill pan until very hot and brush with olive oil. Brush both sides of bread with olive oil and grill until crisp on both sides.

To serve: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pate on bruschetta and warm in oven. Top bruschetta with bacon, sage, parsley and apricots. Drizzle with port wine jus and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the pate:

10 ounces chicken livers, trimmed of membranes and connective tissue
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon rinsed and finely chopped anchovies
1 cup dry red wine
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

For the poached apricots:

12 dried apricots
2 tablespoons clover honey
1/2 cup white wine
1 thin orange slice
1-inch cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

For the port wine jus:

2 tablespoons butter
4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup ruby port wine
2 cups veal demi-glace
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped sage
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

For the bruschetta:

Olive oil
8 1-inch slices ciabatta or similar rustic bread

For the garnish:

Crisp bacon strips
Fried sage leaves
Parsley leaves

RELATED ARTICLE: Seared Duck Liver with Crisp White Polenta (Serves 4)

Alexander Roberts

Vin Santo

Fabula

Tuscany, Italy 1997

directions

For the polenta: In medium saucepan, bring water to boil, stir in sea salt and whisk in polenta. Add bay leaf, reduce heat to very low, cover and cook about one hour. Remove bay leaf and pour polenta into half sheet pan so that it is 1 1/4-inches thick. Smooth with offset spatula and cover with plastic wrap. Cool until firm. Cut into desired shapes. Saute in oil over high heat until crisp on both sides. Keep warm.

For the beans: Toss all ingredients together and reserve.

For the liver and sweet onion-Vin Santo sauce: In small saucepan, combine one tablespoon grapeseed oil, onions and pinch of salt. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until onions are lightly browned. Remove from heat, reserving cooking liquid separately. Heat medium saute pan and add remaining grapeseed oil. Season livers with salt and pepper and sear in one layer on both sides until browned. Remove from pan and lower heat. Add onions and Vin Santo, reduce by half, add stock and reduce until syrupy. Stir in parsley, butter, juice and salt and pepper. Return livers to pan with reserved liquid and warm gently.

To serve: Place polenta cakes atop sweet onion mixture, then top with liver and beans. Garnish with leeks and wax beans, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the polenta:

3 cups cold water
1 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup organic whole grain white polenta grits*
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the beans:

1 cup haricots verts, blanched and split lengthwise
1 teaspoon mint, chiffonade
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon aged balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

For the liver and sweet onion-Vin Santo sauce:

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 sweet onions, peeled and sliced
6 large free-range duck livers, trimmed
1/2 cup Vin Santo
1 cup reduced turkey stock
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon butter
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Julienned leeks
Wax beans, blanched and cut into 1/4-inch lengths
Lemon-infused olive oil
Fleur de Sel or Maldon[R] sea salt

*Polenta ground from corn that has an intact germ. Available through Anson Mills, [phone] or www.ansonmills.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Saddle of Rabbit Stuffed with Rabbit Liver (Serves 4)

Alexander Roberts

Riesling Kabinett

Reichsrat von Buhl

Pfalz, Germany 2003

directions

For the rabbit: Bone out saddles, keeping belly flaps and loins intact. Set aside livers for stuffing, and trimmings and bones for stock, below. Reserve legs for another use.

For the rabbit stock: Combine all ingredients in saucepot, cover with water and bring to a simmer. Cook over very low heat one to two hours. Strain through fine-mesh sieve. Reserve half the stock. In saucepan, bring remaining stock to boil, lower heat to medium and reduce by three-quarters.

For the stuffing: Separate livers into lobes and trim membranes and connective tissue. Combine livers and wine in bowl, season with salt and pepper and marinate one hour. Drain liver and pat dry. Heat saute pan over high heat and sear livers until rare. Remove from heat, refrigerate until cool, then cut into strips. In small bowl, cover raisins with warm water and add vinegar. When plumped, drain raisins and chop. To stuff rabbit, season saddle with salt and pepper. Place spinach at bottom of saddle between loins and sprinkle spinach with raisins. Arrange liver strips lengthwise along loin and wrap with belly flaps. Roll from loin end, and tie securely with kitchen twine. Set aside in refrigerator.

For the lentils: In saucepan, combine lentils and stock and season with salt and pepper. Tie carrots, celery, onions, peppercorns and lemon thyme in cheesecloth and add to saucepan. Bring to simmer and cook over low heat until lentils are tender. Remove from heat and let cool in liquid. Drain liquid and discard cheesecloth bundle. Keep warm.

For the Riesling sauce: Heat grapeseed oil in saute pan over medium heat, add shallots and cook until translucent. Add wine and reduce until almost dry. Pour in stock and bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Using immersion blender, mix in butter a little at a time until completely combined and sauce is frothy. Keep warm.

To finish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil and butter in saute pan. Season saddles with salt and pepper and brown lightly. Transfer to oven and roast, turning several times, until center of saddle reaches 140 degrees. Rest and keep warm. Using the juices from the resting rabbit, heat lentils through.

To serve: Spoon lentils onto center of plate. Slice saddles and place atop lentils. Spoon Riesling sauce around rabbit, garnish with celery leaves, raisins and flowers, sprinkle with sea salt and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the rabbit:

4 whole rabbits

For the rabbit stock:

Reserved rabbit trimmings and bones
5 cups chicken or turkey stock
1/2 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 rib celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf

For the stuffing:

4 rabbit livers
1 cup Kabinett or Spatlese Riesling
1/2 cup golden raisins, finely chopped
Warm water, as needed
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
1 cup spinach sauteed in butter, room temperature
Salt and pepper to taste

For the lentils:

1 cup French green lentils
2 cups rabbit stock
1/2 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 sprigs lemon thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Riesling sauce:

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup Kabinett or Spatlese Riesling
3/4 cup reduced rabbit stock
3 tablespoons chilled butter
Salt and pepper to taste

To finish:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Celery leaves
Golden raisins
Edible flowers
Sea salt

RELATED ARTICLE: Liver-Basted Guinea Hen with Glazed Heirloom Carrots (Serves 4)

Alexander Roberts

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico BG

Tomasso Bussola

Veneto, Italy 1999

directions

For the liver butter: In food processor fitted with metal blade, blend all ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the guinea hens: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper and stuff with rosemary, sage, and bay leaf. Heat oil in large roasting pan over high heat and add onions, celery and carrots. Cook five minutes, then remove from heat. Place hens atop vegetables and add 1/2 cup chicken stock and liver butter to pan. Roast in oven, basting every ten minutes until thickest part of thigh reaches 165 degrees. Add remaining stock if pan becomes dry. Remove from oven and rest under loosely tented aluminum foil. Strain roasting juices through fine-mesh sieve and keep warm.

For the Heirloom carrots: In medium saucepan, bring chicken stock and butter to simmer. Add carrots, season with salt and pepper and cook, covered, until carrots begin to soften. Remove lid and reduce liquid until it glazes carrots. Remove from heat.

For the carrot-balsamic vinaigrette: In small saucepan, bring juice to boil, lower heat and reduce by three-quarters. Let cool to room temperature. Add remaining ingredients and combine using immersion blender.

To serve: Arrange hen on plate with vegetables alongside and spoon vinaigrette around. Garnish with reserved basting jus, salt and thyme and serve immediately.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the liver butter:

2 ounces guinea hen liver, trimmed of membranes and connective tissue
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

For the guinea hen:

2 guinea hens
2 sprigs rosemary
4 sage leaves
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup chicken stock
Liver butter, from above
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Heirloom carrots:

1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups Heirloom or green-top carrots, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste

For the carrot-balsamic vinaigrette:

1/2 cup carrot juice
1/2 cup cold pressed olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Steamed snap peas
Basting jus, from above
Sea salt
Thyme sprigs

RELATED ARTICLE: Roasted Squab and Squab Liver Farro Risotto with Seasonal Mushrooms (Serves 4)

Alexander Roberts

Broccato

Dievole Winery

Tuscany, Italy 1999

directions

For the squab stock: Slowly bring all ingredients to simmer in tall-sided pot. Cook two hours, occasionally skimming fat from surface. Strain through fine-mesh sieve. Reserve meat and discard skin, fat and bones. Keep stock hot.

For the farro risotto: In wide, heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onions, shallots and pancetta until onions are translucent and pancetta has rendered its fat. Add farro, stirring one to two minutes. Add wine and stir until evaporated. Add stock in batches, covering farro with each addition, and simmering until evaporated. Cook until farro is firm to the bite, remove from heat, and stir in squab meat, salt, butter and cheese.

For the squab and mushrooms: In saute pan, heat oil over high heat. Season squab breasts with salt and pepper and sear, skin side down, about two minutes. Turn and cook another two minutes. Thirty seconds before breasts are medium-rare, add livers and cook until medium-rare. Remove breasts and livers from pan and add butter and mushrooms. Cook for several minutes. Add shallots, rosemary and thyme and cook 30 seconds longer. Add stock and remove from heat.

To serve: Spoon farro into large shallow bowl. Dice squab breasts and livers and place atop farro. Top with mushroom mixture, drizzle saba over and serve.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the squab stock:

2 whole squab, breasts and livers removed and reserved
7 cups turkey stock
1/2 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 rib celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf

For the farro risotto:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped pancetta
2 cups farro*
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 quarts squab stock, from above
Squab meat, from above
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

For the squab and mushrooms:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
Squab breasts, from above
Squab livers, from above, trimmed of membranes and connective tissue
1 tablespoon butter
6 ounces seasonal wild mushrooms
1/2 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
1/2 cup squab stock, from above
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Saba vinegar**

*Farro (Triticum dicoccum) is an ancient Mediterranean grain; available through Citarella, [phone] or www.citarella.com.

**Saba is a reduction of grape must (pulp and juice prior to fermentation). Available through Earthy Delights, [phone] or www.earthy.com.