Main Meals

Seared calf’s liver with home-made gnocchi, burnt sage butter and braised red onion

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4
Easy
20 minutes
15 minutes
Wine/Spirit Pairing
Bergsig Pinotage

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Ingredients

Method
    For the braised red onion

  • 4 large red onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 2 T brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • For the burnt sage butter

  • 80 g butter
  • 8 sage leaves
  • For the seared calf’s liver

  • 1 cup chopped bacon pieces
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 4 large calf’s livers
  • 50 g cake flour
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • For the gnocchi
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and roasted
  • 2 free-range egg yolks, beaten
  • 210 g flour, plus extra to dust
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 T olive oil

To caramelise the red onion: In a saucepan over a medium heat, gently sweat the onion in the olive oil until translucent and fragrant. Add the brown sugar and, stirring occasionally, sweat further until a dark caramel starts to form - take care not to burn the onion. Add the wine and gently braise for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture takes on a sticky, jam-like consistency

To make the burnt sage butter: In a saucepan over a medium heat, melt the butter and allow it to cook until it turns golden in colour. Remove from the heat and add the sage leaves. Allow to settle, then spoon off the clear golden liquid and sage leaves and reserve.

To prepare the calf's liver: In a large frying pan over a medium heat, sautée; the bacon in the olive oil until golden. Dust the livers with the cake flour and pan-fry with the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned and just cooked through. Season to taste.

To make the gnocchi: Mash the roast potatoes until mooth. Add the egg yolks, flour and salt and mix by hand until you have pliable dough. Dust a work surface with more fl our and, using your fingertips, gently roll the dough into long strips, 1 cm in width. Cut each strip into 1.5-cm blocks, slightly flattening them with the prongs of a fork.
Bring a large saucepan of water together with the olive oil to the boil and add the gnocchi. Cook until the dumplings float to the surface, then remove from the water using a slotted spoon.

To serve: Toss the gnocchi in the burnt butter, then divide between four plates and serve topped with pan-fried calf's liver and braised onions.

Abigail Donnelly

Recipe by: Abigail Donnelly

Nothing excites Woolworths TASTE's Food Director quite as much as the challenge of dreaming up recipes with innovative new foods – or the thrill of creating deliciousness on a plate with the humblest of ingredients. With Abi by your side, you’ll be a cooking expert in no time at all.

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