LIVER IN DISGUISE

You all know by now how great I think liver is. It's a hard sell for most people though. That is why I came up with the ultimate method of getting the liver in you when you can't even stomach the thought. Meatballs. Simple to make, awesome tasting, and chock full of liver. They make great last minute lunchbox additions which is why I always make a double batch and freeze these little suckers. 

MEATBALLS

2 pounds grass fed ground beef

2 pastured organic eggs, lightly scrambled

3/4 cup sourdough breadcrumbs

2 medium organic onions, grated

3 cloves organic garlic, grated

1 small piece grass fed liver, frozen and grated

sea salt and pepper

chopped garden herbs (parsley, chives etc)

Method: Preheat oven to 350*. Place the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, onions, garlic, sea salt, pepper and herbs in a large bowl. The trick is to freeze the liver, which makes it easier to grate into small pieces with a cheese grater - this makes the pieces so small and hard to identify and taste! Gently stir the mixture together. 

Line a large tray with parchment paper. Form the mixture into golf ball sized balls, and flatten slightly with your palm. Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Flip each meatball over and then cook another 20 minutes or so. Serve hot.

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THE MAKING OF AN AUTUMN SALAD

I love making salad. There is a seemingly infinite number of ways to compose a salad depending on the time of year and breadth of your imagination. Last week I picked up some nice looking bitter endive which I've been making into some really great salad.

Mache and two kinds of endive

Purple cabbage and carrot sauerkraut.

Thinly sliced beet.

Thinly sliced carrot.

Feta cheese.

Soaked and dried sunflower seeds.

Seaweed - dulse, sea lettuce, and nori.

DRESSING: Drizzled with ev olive oil, garlic and basil infused apple cider vinegar, grated garlic, maple syrup, sea salt and pepper.

CRISPY ROASTED POTATOES

By far one of my family's favourite side dishes. So good we have never had any leftover.

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced

a free spoon full of extra virgin olive oil, lard or coconut oil

sea salt and pepper

large pinch paprika

a few pinches garlic granules or powder

about 3 Tbsp grated romano or parmesan cheese

Method: Preheat oven to 450*. Place all the ingredients in a large cast iron skillet or pan. Toss well. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, stir, and bake another 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Serve hot.

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THE UNCOOL SUPERFOOD

Yes, I'm talking about liver.  As a culture we prize the muscle meat from animals and eating the organ  meats has fallen out of fashion, well that is until now. Organ meats are all the rage in certain circles, and for good reason.  Organ meats have many more nutrients than meat (like 10-100 times)- they are very rich in iron, phosphorus, zinc, vitamins A , D, B6 and B12, and special fats for the brain. If you are in the market for a serious nutrient boost in your diet, go for liver. Just make sure you buy liver that comes from pastured and organic animals as they are more nutritious than meats from feedlots.

My go to liver recipe is a classic chicken liver pate. It tastes great on toasted bread, crackers, in sandwiches, or spread on celery sticks.  The best part is you can freeze it in small mason jars so you always have some on hand, because this superfood is best consumed once a week.

 CHICKEN LIVER PATE

1 pound organic/pastured chicken livers

1 pound organic mushrooms, finely chopped

1 organic onion, chopped

1/4 cup organic butter

1 cup white wine or homemade chicken stock

1 tsp organic dry mustard

4 cloves organic garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp organic lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped fresh organic parsley

2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

2-3 Tbsp organic butter, softened

sea salt to taste

Method: Soak the liver in a bit of water and lemon juice or vinegar for 1-2 hours. Drain liver and saute with the mushrooms and onion in the butter until browned. Add the wine, herbs and garlic and cook until liquid evaporates. Allow to cool, then puree in a food processor with the remaining butter, season to taste with salt. Refrigerate and serve.