Calf’s liver pan-fried in butter, topped with a roasted red pepper sauce and served with Brussels sprouts browned with red onion.
A slice of calf’s liver seared in butter, still pink inside, served on browned Brussels sprouts and topped with a sweet, slightly smoky roasted red pepper sauce. This is home-style pan-fried liver, with a sauce and vegetable side that can hold their own alongside it. For one serving, allow 45 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, with roasting the pepper taking the most time. One to file with my keto main dishes.
What Is Calf’s Liver ?
Calf’s liver is a tender organ meat with a delicate flavor, pan-fried in slices and served just barely pink. Here, 150 g of liver cooks in butter in about 4 minutes.
The plate is rounded out with a roasted red pepper sauce, blended with a drizzle of olive oil, and Brussels sprouts pan-fried with a red onion. Pork liver, which has a stronger flavor, can replace the calf’s liver ; it must be cooked through and not served pink.
The Origins of This Version
Pan-fried liver is a staple of French bistros and home cooking, often served with softened onions. This version keeps the quick cooking in butter but replaces the simple onion accompaniment with a more colorful roasted red pepper sauce.
The Brussels sprouts and red onion make this a fall and winter dish : the sprouts retain a slight bitterness, the onion turns meltingly tender, and a splash of balsamic vinegar can brighten everything up at the end of cooking.
The Main Ingredients
The liver, 150 g per serving, is the centerpiece. Let it come to room temperature, covered, on paper towels, and pat it dry just before cooking. Season it with salt, pepper and a teaspoon of paprika, to taste.
One whole red bell pepper makes the sauce : roasting softens it so it blends into a smooth sauce, without cream or thickeners. The 150 g of Brussels sprouts, halved, and the red onion, thinly sliced into rings, make up the vegetable side.
Each fat has its role : a tiny bit of extra-virgin olive oil in the sauce, a generous splash of avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil for the sprouts, and a pat of butter for the liver, which can be replaced with one of these oils. The splash of balsamic vinegar is optional.
Cooking Tips and Serving
Start with the pepper : place it whole on the oven rack at 200 °C, leaving the stem on so you can pick it up later, and roast for 35 minutes. Cover it for 10 minutes in a small dish under a sheet of aluminum foil, or in a bag once it has cooled slightly, then remove the stem, seeds and skin and briefly blend the flesh with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Meanwhile, brown the sprouts on all sides, lower the heat, add the onion and cook for 15 to 20 minutes in total, depending on whether you like them tender or crisp.
Cook the liver at the last minute in a second frying pan : melt the butter, sear both sides over medium heat, gentler than you would use for a steak, then lower the heat further and allow about a minute and a half per side, 4 minutes in total. The inside can stay pink, without being raw or shiny ; cooked longer, the liver becomes grainy. About a minute before the end, deglaze the sprouts with balsamic vinegar if desired, then plate the liver on top of the vegetables and spoon the sauce over it.
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Ingredients
- 150 g liver calf’s or pork
- 1 red bell pepper
- 150 g Brussels sprouts
- 1 red onion
- 1 teaspoon paprika to taste
- a pinch black pepper
- a pinch Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt
- a drizzle extra virgin olive oil for making the bell pepper sauce
- a generous drizzle avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil for sautéing the Brussels sprouts
- a knob butter (from grass-fed cows), for sautéing the liver
- avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil Alternatively, for cooking
Optional
- a splash balsamic vinegar for a moderate-carb version
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Wash the bell pepper and pat it dry. Place the pepper on the oven rack. No other preparation is needed. Leave the stem on so you can get a good grip on the pepper when taking it out of the oven later. Set the timer for 35 minutes.1 red bell pepper
- Let the liver come to room temperature on paper towels. Keep it covered. Pat it dry just before using it as well.150 g liver
- Clean the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half. Heat a frying pan and add a drizzle of oil. Sauté on all sides, then lower the heat.150 g Brussels sprouts, a generous drizzle avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil
- Slice the onion into thin rings. Add it to the Brussels sprouts. Sauté for a total of a quarter of an hour to just under 20 minutes, depending on your preference (tender or crunchy Brussels sprouts). Optional: deglaze with a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end.1 red onion, a splash balsamic vinegar
- Remove the pepper from the oven after 35 minutes and cover it. To do this, place it in a small dish or container and cover with aluminum foil, or put it in a plastic bag. If using plastic, let the pepper cool slightly first so the plastic does not melt. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the stem, seeds and skin from the pepper. Blend briefly with an immersion blender, adding a little extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper. Set aside, covered.a drizzle extra virgin olive oil, a pinch Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt, a pinch black pepper
- Meanwhile, season the liver with salt, pepper and paprika. Heat the second frying pan and melt the butter in it. Sear on both sides over moderately high heat. The heat can be a little lower than you would use for steak or chicken. Lower the heat a little more and continue cooking for about 1.5 minutes on each side. Cook for about 4 minutes in total. Cooking it longer makes the liver too grainy. The inside can be pink, but not raw (still glossy).1 teaspoon paprika, a knob butter, avocado oil, mild olive oil or high-oleic sunflower oil
- About a minute before the liver is done, deglaze the Brussels sprouts and onion with a little balsamic vinegar. Continue cooking briefly.
- Serve the liver with the Brussels sprouts and pour the bell pepper sauce over the top.
