Seared chicken livers, sage and Golden Delicious

This recipe uses classic flavour pairings – sweet apple with a hint of tartness matches and cuts through the rich iron taste of the livers, and the earthiness of the sage grounds the sweet, boozy Marsala and the salty hit of the capers. It is a simple yet elegant and refined dish.

Credit: Sharyn Cairns

• serves

  2

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 medium Golden Delicious apple (see Note)
• 4 large chicken livers, lobes separated and cleaned (see Note)
• 20 g butter
• ¼ cup sage
• 1 tbsp small capers
• 30 ml Marsala
• squeeze of lemon juice
• olive oil, for cooking
• extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• river salt and black pepper, to season
• crusty bread, to serve

Instructions

Peel the apple and cut it in half from top to bottom. Cut each half into 5 wedges and then, using a small knife, cut out the core. Set aside.

Place a medium frying pan on high heat and allow it to get quite hot before adding in a good dash of olive oil. Give the oil a moment or two to heat and have your livers ready and well seasoned near by. Once the oil starts to smoke, use tongs to carefully place the livers one by one in the pan, larger sides first. Be careful as they may spit a little. Jiggle pan then let livers sit undisturbed to sear and develop a nice crust.

Cook on one side for about 3 minutes then turn and cook for 1 minute before swiftly removing and setting aside.

In the same pan, still on high heat, add the apple in a single layer. Cook for 2 minutes or until dark brown. Turn and add the butter, sage and capers. Season and give the pan another jiggle or two and cook for another 2 minutes.

Return the livers to the pan and gently swish to combine everything. Add the Marsala, jiggle the pan and let everything cook together for a few more moments. Taste for seasoning and, before all the liquid has time to completely reduce, finish with a good squeeze of lemon.

Spoon onto plates, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Notes

• You can substitute another sweet cooking apple but the texture of Golden Delicious is best.

• This dish depends on the quality of the livers. Buy ones that are plump and undamaged. You could also use duck livers.

Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Deborah Kaloper. Food preparation by Emma Warren. Creative concept by Lou Fay.

Always on the hunt for the next vegetable to pickle, follow O Tama Carey on Instagram.

This recipe is part of The Seasonal Cook: Apple column.

View previous The Seasonal Cook columns and recipes.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.