Venetian liver, just like my mom used to make, except she, as the original recipe calls for, used white onions, while we always use red onions at home. So my version uses red onions, but it’s advisable to use white.
Venetian liver is a dish made of veal or pork liver, which remains nice and light in cooking, prepared with generous amounts of white onion and a mix of oil and butter, often accompanied by white polenta.
I’m offering you a more homemade version, maybe with Roman influence, still very flavorful, but certainly lighter and lower in fat by not using butter and especially by using new non-stick pans that allow for healthier cooking. A simple recipe that takes just a few minutes to prepare, a unique flavor that pairs perfectly with boiled potatoes and great fresh bread, making a “scarpetta” in the sauce during cooking is truly the best.
For lovers of flavorful main courses, I also recall
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 3
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 318.20 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 14.69 (g) of which sugars 10.43 (g)
- Proteins 24.26 (g)
- Fat 16.11 (g) of which saturated 3.70 (g)of which unsaturated 3.02 (g)
- Fibers 1.43 (g)
- Sodium 616.12 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 160 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 12.3 oz veal liver
- 2 onions (medium)
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste chili pepper
- to taste salt
- 1/4 cup white wine
Tools
To prepare Venetian liver, I prefer using a good non-stick pan that allows me to use as little fat as possible during cooking.
- 1 Pan
- 1 Lid
- 1 Ladle
Preparation
Preparing Venetian liver is very simple and can be prepared in advance because reheated it’s even tastier and more flavorful!
Venetian liver is good and light, enjoyed as is or you can serve it with great fresh bread or boiled potatoes to make it a great one-dish meal. Watch the video to see how easy it is to make.
Begin by peeling the onion, washing it, and chopping it into coarse pieces in a non-stick pan. Add the oil, chili pepper, and bring it to a high heat covered with a lid to make it brown.
While the onion is browning, cut the liver into pieces. I use kitchen scissors for this operation, but you could also slice it with a good chef’s knife.
When the onion is crispy, add the liver over high heat, adjust with salt, and with the lid on, let the liver brown. When the liver is browned, deglaze with the 1/4 cup of white wine and let finish cooking, lowering the heat slightly. From onion to finished dish, it should take no more than about 20 minutes.
NOTES
Venetian liver is a great main course, but being so tasty with its sauce and crispy onions, it also works well for appetizers served with bruschetta, crackers, breadsticks.
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