Chicken Livers Persillade

° Serves 4 as a first course or brunch or lunch main course

This quick dish should be prepared at the last moment and served immediately. It makes a nice appetizer for dinner, and it can also be served with a salad as a main course for a brunch or light lunch.

Chicken livers are readily available and inexpensive. For best results, cook them over very high heat to seal in their juices, and cook them only briefly—they should still be slightly pink inside. For this recipe, the livers are sautéed, mixed with garlic and parsley (a mixture called persillade), and served on toasted bread.

• 12 ounces chicken livers (about 14), preferably plump and pale in color
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine (2 teaspoons)
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 4 slices from a large country loaf (½ inch thick and about 5 inches in diameter), toasted

Separate each liver into its two halves, discarding any connecting sinews. Pat dry with paper towels and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a nonstick pan at least 9 inches in diameter. When the mixture is a hazelnut color, add the livers in one layer and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Turn and cook on the other side for 1 minute, taking care to avoid splatters. Add the garlic and parsley, immediately remove the pan from the heat, and mix well.

Place a slice of toast on each plate, top with the liver, and serve immediately.

For best results, select pale, plump chicken livers and cook them for only a couple of minutes.