Cibreo
I have a cousin, Elsa, who likes chicken livers so much, she eats them raw. This is pretty extreme even for a country kid like me, but it doesn't beat Catherine de' Medici, who ate so many chicken livers on her thirtieth birthday that she almost died of indigestion. I think the queen's staff used a recipe different from mine, since in Catherine's era, cibreo was made with cockscomb and wattle, which are pretty hard to get these days. I serve this over toast.
Yield : Serves 4
Ingredients
- Flour for dredging
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- Pinch grated nutmeg
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound chicken livers, trimmed of fat
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic, plus 1 whole clove
- 2 tablespoons chopped anchovy fillets (about 6) in oil (see Notes)
- 2 tablespoons capers in brine, rinsed (see Notes)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage
- ½ cup dry marsala or sweet vermouth
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 slices Tuscan bread
Directions
1. In a large bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the chicken livers and coat them with the flour mixture. Shake off any excess.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken livers and brown on both sides.
3. Add the onion, garlic, anchovies, capers, and sage and continue cooking until the onion is translucent, 7 to 8 minutes.
4. Add the marsala and cook until it has reduced by half.
5. Add the chicken stock and simmer still over medium heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl beat the egg yolks with the lemon juice until smooth.
6. Toast or grill the bread and rub each slice with the remaining garlic clove. Set aside.
7. Slowly stir the yolk mixture into the pan with the chicken livers. Make sure the egg yolks don't scramble. When done, the sauce should be a velvety consistency that coats the livers. Taste for seasonings and serve on the toasted bread slices.
Notes
WINE SUGGESTION: I'd go with a Tuscan Chardonnay or Vemaccia, a medium-bodied white from the town of San Gimignano. Castello di Montauto has a good Vernaccia that makes me think of apples.
I prefer the taste of salted anchovies, but they need to be soaked in white wine or water for a few hours or overnight before using.
I prefer capers packed in salt because they have more flavor, but you need to rinse and soak them in water for at least 6 hours before using.
Note from Cookstr's Editors
Nutritional information includes 1/8 teaspoon of added salt per serving.
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