Venice’s liver and onions: a big mass of onions stewed slowly until soft and sweet, and thin strips of calf’s liver cooked into them for barely a minute. It is served with polenta.
Untested: I have not cooked this one yet. It is here because the Offal dive needed it, and it is adapted from the source named in the Notes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (500 g) calf’s liver, sliced thin and cut into strips
- 1 pound (500 g) white or Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Splash of dry white wine
- Chopped parsley
- Salt and black pepper
- Soft polenta, for serving
Directions
- Stew the onions. Warm the butter and oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly, stirring now and then, until very soft and sweet but not browned — about 30 minutes or more.
- Cook the liver. Push the onions to the side and raise the heat. Add the liver strips and cook only until they lose their raw colour, a minute or so.
- Toss. Toss the liver with the onions and parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
- Deglaze. Lift out the liver and onions. Add the wine to the pan, reduce it to a syrup, and pour it over.
- Serve at once, with polenta.
Notes
Source Adapted from Memorie di Angelina, “Fegato alla Veneziana.” The author notes that vinegar was historically used in place of wine. The onion stewing time is this collection’s estimate.
The word Italian fegato (“liver”) comes from Latin ficatum, “fig-stuffed” — the Romans fattened geese on figs. The popular claim that this dish descends from a Roman liver-and-figs dish is not established.
Doneness The Venetian way leaves the liver just cooked. USDA advice for organ meats is 160 °F.
The Offal dive on the Food site covers this part in depth.