[Sca-cooks] Liver and Lamb, for Jadwiga.

[Phlip]

Ene bichizh ogsen baina shuu...

> I'm hoping that the next time the things I will be able to eat are liver
> and mutton-- 

At least I hope that's all of the relevant part I need- this flu the last
couple days has had me half hallucinating.

Jadwiga-

When I saw this, I remembered a bit ago, when you had the difficulty with
the loin lamb chops. I'm assuming by mutton, you're meaning anything sheep
flavored? I'm noticing in the two foods you mention disliking, a
commonality- but tend to be horribly over cooked by modern cooks. While I
happen to love both lamb and liver, I had both made inedible or marginally
edible by improper cooking- don't ask me about the nasty
lamb stew" I was fed as part pf a St Patrick's Day gig. Yerch- if that were
the only exposure to lamb I'd ever had, I'd think I didn't like it too.

If you're willing to try, start by getting a container of chicken livers
(or, for that matter, saving one from a whole chicken you're using for
something else- supposing that is, the chicken comes with a liver, and not 3
gizzards or something), roll it in your favorite breading ( I usually use
just seasoned flour or masa harina, depending on the mood I'm in) and, in a
frying pan that already has hot oil in it (in other words, preheat it, if
you're not already frying something else) sautee it just until the breading
is browned.

An alternative it to make rumaki- a chip of water chestnet, usually half a
chicken liver, and half a slice of bacon wrapped around it and pinned with a
toothpick, placed under the broiler, and turned once, until the bacon is
cooked. Can also deep fat fry them, but I think baked or broiled tastes
better.

As far as lamb goes, either quick cook a chop just as you would a filet
mignon- garlic and/or rosemary and/or mint (forget the mint jelly- it's
totally useless as near as I can tell) are good spices to use.
Alternatively, roast a leg of lamb to rare. A good way to prep it is to cut
slits in it and slip garlic bits into the slit- sprinkle with rosemary to
roast, and garnish with fresh mint to serve. But, plan on eating the meat
either rare or medium rare.

Both meats, liver, and lamb are best rare, though for different reasons. In
the case of liver, the more you cook it, the more it moves into that nasty
texture that is so off putting. In the case of lamb, the more you cook it,
the stronger the mutton flavor becomes. I suspect that if you cook it rare,
you'll find that it's easier to get used to the different flavor, rather
like my attitude towards cilantro- a little is OK, and even tasty, but a lot
flat sucks.

Saint Phlip,
CoD

"When in doubt, heat it up and hit it with a hammer."
 Blacksmith's credo.

 If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it is probably not a
cat.

Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....



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