Spinach yesterday and liver today, I'm turning into an Iron Woman! As soon as the temperature creeps below freezing during the night, I start craving iron rich foods. I have no idea why - perhaps it keeps me from freezing? Or maybe I simply need the extra iron to help the red blood cells transport oxygen, because I can no longer have the window open day and night to get fresh air?
Ingredients:
200 g bacon, sliced
1 onion, diced finely
250 g mushrooms, diced
750 g calf liver, cut into bitesized strips
4-5 tbsp chili flakes
5-6 garlic cloves, sliced lengthwise
1 tbsp thyme
3 tbsp chili powder
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tbsp tomato paste
A large handful of chopped spinach stalks or other greens with a bit of crunch
300 ml cream
200 ml water
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
100 ml pickled red bellpepper
Heat a large frying pan or wok, and add the bacon first. Once some of the fat has melted, add onion and mushrooms, and mix them around. Fry slowly until the onions are soft, then raise the heat to get some colour.
When the bacon is about halfway done, push everything up along the sides of the wok, and add a single layer of liver in the middle. Turn to brown them evenly, then push them up among the other ingredients and add the next batch of liver. Repeat as many times as it takes.
Stir everything together in the middle of the wok, taking care not to mash the liver slices. Add the garlic, spinach, spices, soy sauces, tomato paste and cream.
Add water until you have the amount of sauce you want, stir it in, and let simmer for a couple of minutes to make sure the liver is cooked through.
Lastly, stir in the pickled bell pepper and balsamic vinegar and serve.
Liver doesn't re-heat well in microwave ovens, so if you have leftovers, either eat them cold or warm them slowly in a saucepan.
