Polish Liver and Onions {Wątróbka z Cebulą}
Liver and onions is a flavor of my childhood. I can go as far as saying it is my comfort food. We ate it once in a while, but when we did, I enjoyed it. In my home it was prepared with lots of onions and sweet apples. The mixture would create a sticky sauce that when combined with the “minerally” flavor of liver it just worked. My family would serve it over boiled whole potatoes. This is what I’m used to and this is how I’ve always prepared it.
Wątróbka z cebulą [vow-troo-bkah z tseh-boo-low] is a popular Polish dish still and I would place it in the category of traditional Polish cuisine. You can even find it on elaborate menus of fancy restaurants sometimes, elevated with “unusual” ingredients, but I like it the “old” way, with lots of apples and onions over hot potatoes. Doesn’t it look delicious?!
Polish Liver and Onions {Wątróbka z Cebulą}
Ingredients
- About 20 oz / 550g of chicken livers
- 4 onions (2.5 cups sliced)
- 4 apples (2 cups grated)
- 1 tbs of oil
- 1 tbs of butter
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 1/4 tsp of pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp of dried marjoram
- Additionally 2 tbs of oil
- 3 tbs of all purpose flour
Instructions
Place livers on a strainer and wash under cold, running water. Let drain a bit. Cut away the white fat strings. Set aside.
Peel and slice onions, peel, core and grate apples - use the largest grater side. Set aside.
In a large frying pan heat oil and butter, add onions and sauté until golden brown. Add salt, pepper and marjoram. Once onions are done, add apples and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until apples are cooked. Remove from pan and rinse and dry the pan.
Return pan to heat, add oil and bring to temperature for frying livers. Place flour in a small mixing bowl and add pieces of livers one by one. Move around to cover and then shake off the access flour before placing into hot pan. WARNING! Livers may splatter hot oil, have a cover or splash guard ready.
Place as many pieces in the pan as you can without crowding the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked on the inside. When all pieces are cooked return onion/apple mixture to the pan and mix gently.
Dish is done, but you may also add 1/3 - 1/2 cups of water to the pan to create a sauce, if you'd like. This is more of a preference thing.
Serve over boiled potatoes.
Notes
Livers do not get salted before cooking.
Happy cooking and smacznego!
Anna