Italy is the land of the lovely bruschetta and crostini...and to get us all in the mood for the dizzying array of scrumptious toppings we will no doubt experience, I found this recipe, courtesy of La Grotta in Montepulciano. I've never personally cooked with any sort of liver (smearing Oscar Meyer braunschweiger on Wonder Bread at my grandparent's house doesn't seem to count) and I would like to start experimenting.
My biggest question -- how do you clean chicken livers?
1 red onion, chopped small
2 carrots, chopped small
1/2 stalk of Chinese celery or 2 narrow leaf-bearing stems of a celery stalk, chopped small
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
2 sprigs parsley
1/2 pound chicken livers, cleaned and cubed
1/2 apple, cut into small cubes
1 1/8 cup red wine
6 Tb. cognac
2 1/2 Tb. anchovy paste
10 capers, rinsed
Sliced, toasted Italian bread
Brown onions, carrot and celery in extra virgin olive oil. Add pepper and parsley.
Add liver and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Add apple and cook for another 10 minutes. Raise heat and add red wine.
Meanwhile warm cognac. Flambe and add it to mixture. Add anchovy paste and capers and mix thoroughly.
Puree mixture and serve on toasted bread with Vin Santo Glaze.
Vin Santo Glaze
2 teaspoons apricot jelly or conserves
1/2 glass Vin Santo
Whip ingredients until foamy. Glaze prepared crostini slices.
