Visiting Venice means discovering its museums, churches, breathtaking views. It means getting lost in the small alleys, to the sound of gondoliers singing, getting some rest in the shade in one of the city parks, whilst the kids play catch and senior citizens watch people coming and going. But Venice should also be tasted. And this is no metaphor attempting to hint at something else, I really do mean tasting, literally.
And if you don’t know where to start from, I would suggest getting the ball rolling with a dish that recalls the name of the city: Venetian style liver, a recipe that is very popular and appreciated all around Italy. A few ingredients, a deep and irresistible flavor, a dish with a strong character.
Characaristics and secrets of the Venetian style liver
There is not one inn that does not have it on the menu, because this dish is a staple of Venetian tradition, both in the city and inland, especially in those areas overlooking the lagoon.
To know the recipe all you need to do is trusting the knowledge of Veneto’s grandmothers and of the mother and granddaughter to whom the recipe has been passed on. Each one of them with their secrets, details that, although minimal, make the dish personal and unique.
To be honest, the foundation of the recipe of the Venetial style liver cannot be customized too much: to respect the tradition it is important to be true to those few but essential ingredients that, if mastered, will bring to life a dish that will win you over.
The first time that I decided to try Venetian style liver, I went with paper and pen to my mother-in-law, to jot down her recipe and all the secrets behind it. First of all: pork or veal? The answer was that it does not really matter which meat you opt for.
So, I went and looked for literature that would confirm this theory, which was a bit too democratic for my taste, and as expected, factions on which liver should be used did exist, and according to them, there were specific reasons behind each.
Actually, the reason behind preferring one over the other had mainly to do with the customs, family traditions and availability of one animal rather than the other, so at the end I decided that my mother-in-law was right, and that if done right, whether it is pork or veal, does not make much of a difference.
The other essential ingredient for this recipe is onions. And here there is no way around it: they have to be Chioggia’s white onions, grown in the sandy soil typical of the areas overlooking the lagoon. When sautéed they become tender and their sweet taste is ideal to counteract the strong taste of the liver.
It is now time to list the different steps you will have to follow to cook Venetian style liver.
The recipe of the Venetian style liver
Let’s start from the ingredients (serves 4 people):
- 600g of liver (pork or veal)
- 3 white onions
- Extra-virgin olive oil (as required)
- A knob of butter
- Salt (as required)
Thinly slice the onion and sauté the slices with extra-virgin oil and the knob of butter. Mix every once in a while, and as soon as they are tender, add the liver cut into little strips.
Let it cook for about 5 minutes (salting as needed) making sure that the strips (straccetti in Italian) are cooked but still soft. At the end of cooking, you can, if you want add some parsley.
It is important to remember that the liver should never be reheated, as it tends to become harder and harder. As a result, you will be “forced” to enjoy it all as soon as it is ready, perhaps next to some slices of roasted polenta, with its very delicate flavor.
Of course, what cannot be missing in combination with this dish is a good glass of wine: red, still, full-bodied, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon, could be the right choice.
Before leaving you to try this recipe for yourselves in the comfort of your kitchen, I should remind one last ingredient, which is essential for any kind of dish. I am talking about the memory: the uniqueness of a recipe does not only come with having it in the place where it was born, but it is also about being able to take that flavor home, enriching it with your most beautiful memories.
Featured image: Primo Chef
