Chicken Livers with Baharat

Serves 4

Charcoal grilling is a great way to tame the sometimes assertive qualities of chicken livers. Just take care to cook the livers only until the interiors are still creamy and pink. We cure the livers overnight with salt and the warm spices of baharat, whose sweet and peppery flavor enhances the livers and amplifies the smoke and char from the grill. I like to pair chicken livers with something mellow to keep their flavor in check, so I serve them with sumac onions and green grapes, which provide a burst of sugar and acid to balance their richness.

• 1 pound chicken livers
•   Kosher salt
•   Big pinch baharat (see sidebar)
• ½ cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• ½ cup green grapes, halved
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh dill
•   Simple Sumac Onions (see recipe)

● Toss the chicken livers with ¾ teaspoon salt and the baharat. Transfer to a strainer set over a bowl and let stand in the refrigerator overnight. Sprinkle the sliced onion with several big pinches of salt and let stand in the refrigerator overnight.

● Thread the chicken livers onto skewers, pat dry with paper towels, and brush with the oil. Grill directly over hot coals until a bit charred on the outside and medium-rare on the inside, about 2 minutes per side.

● Arrange the grapes and the skewers on a platter and top with the salted onion slices, dill, and sumac onions.