Calves Liver & Caramelised Onion Bruscetta

With only a few weeks to go before leaving the kitchen on an expedition to find sun, relaxation and new food ideas (aka holiday), it is the time for the annual ritual of eating healthily.  This is performed in the vain hope that my body will realise it really can lose all those pounds in just a short time in order to replicate a more bardo-esque stature when in reduced clothing.

However I am nothing if not a realist and believe that fasting or eating plain cabbage for any period at all is really not a thing that makes me or anyone else around me happy.  My thoughts on dieting therefore rely on a reduction of the lovely creamy, melt in your mouth substance that is Chocolate, more alcohol free nights, more exercise and more of the leafy green stuff.

The newspapers have recently informed us that to lose weight we should eat less red meat.  They may be right but the problem is I just love meat (actually I love all foods). Calves Liver is one of my favourites and now that I understand it does not need to be cooked to within a milli-second of turning into a grainy substance and served up in gravy as per my childhood, it is even more tempting.  So when in the butchers farm shop last week it jumped up and down behind the counter lovingly calling me by name, it would have been plain rude of me to resist.  However, I am so disciplined in my ritual that I did do something a little different (including the green leafy stuff) and to my delight it was quite simply delectable.

So here it is, my heaven on a plate...

Rocket and Parmesan Salad
2 handfuls of Rocket Leaves

Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Drizzle of Balsamic
1 tsp Red Currant Jelly
1 clove Garlic
Parmesan shavings (quantity to taste)

Finely chop the garlic and mix with the olive oil, balsamic and red currant jelly (put them all in a jar together and shake to combine is the quickest and easiest way, you can also leave any remaining in the fridge to use over the next couple of days).  Set aside.

Bruscetta
1 Ciabatta Loaf
Olive Oil (drizzle)
1 clove Garlic

Slice the ciabatta to suit your own taste, we recommend 2 per person.
Rub the ciabatta with the garlic clove and drizzle a little olive oil on a baking sheet place the ciabatta slices on the sheet and drizzle a little more oil over the top.  Bake in a moderate oven for 5-8 minutes until lightly toasted.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool.  Any spare of these will last a few days in an airtight container.

Red Onion Marmalade
25g Butter
1 tbsp Olive Oil
3 large Red Onions (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp Sugar (we use caster but you could use granulated)
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
Seasoning

Melt the butter and a little olive oil in a saucepan, add the onions and cook until they become slightly translucent.  As they begin to brown, add in the sugar, both vinegars and seasoning.  Cook on a low heat for 15-20 minutes until nicely caramelised, soft and the liquid has almost evaporised.  Remove from the heat and put a lid on to keep warm.

Calves Liver
2 large slices of Calves Liver (ask your butcher to slice them thinly)
Plain Flour (for dusting)
Knob of Butter
Drizzle of Olive Oil
A few Sage leaves (thinly sliced)

Dust the calves liver in the flour and shake off excess.  Heat the butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large flat bottomed pan and add the sage leaves.  When very hot add the calves liver and cook around 2 minutes each side (no more, remember it is thin and best when pink).  Remove from the pan and set aside to rest.

Without cleaning the pan, pour in the dressing and gently heat through.  Pour over the rocket leaves and toss in the parmesan cheese.

To assemble the dish, place the bruscetta on a plate, top with caramelised onions, then the calves liver and top with dressed rocket and parmesan shavings.

(You will probably have some onion marmalade left over.  Use it in a sandwich with blue cheese, in goats cheese and onions tarts, Croque Monsieur with added onion marmalade, the options are limitless).