YIELD: 4 ENTRÉE SERVINGS
Liver Eli has long been credited with turning liver haters into liver lovers. In a 1988 interview with Sun-Times columnist Bob Herguth, Eli recalled how he developed the famous recipe: “Remember how your mother made good things? I was at a club in Florida and ordered liver. The way it was described on the menu, it reminded me of my mother’s. When the liver arrived, I didn’t like it. I decided to recreate dishes that came from old recipes, the kind our mothers made.”
If a customer seemed hesitant about ordering liver, Eli would send a steak appetizer to the table, on the house. Once they’d raved about how good it was, he’d spring the truth on them: Surprise! It had been Liver Eli all along!
One person who didn’t need convincing was Marlene Siskel, wife of the late film critic Gene Siskel. She recalled that strolling into Eli’s The Place For Steak was “like walking into an era when Chicago was Sinatra’s kind of town. For me, it was Eli’s The Place For Liver. I had never eaten liver before, nor have I since the restaurant closed. It was that good, and I didn’t want to cloud the memory of its incredible taste and texture by ordering it anywhere else.”
1 pound fresh calves liver, veins and membrane removed
1½ cups whole milk
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4–6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
5 medium red, yellow, or green peppers, cut into 1½-inch squares
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and sliced lengthwise
⅓ teaspoon sweet paprika
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons beef broth
3 tablespoons dry white wine
3 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
1. Cut the liver diagonally into ¼-inch slices. Place in a ceramic or glass bowl and cover with the milk. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle the mixture evenly onto a large, flat platter.
3. Drain the liver slices, discarding the milk. Using paper towels, pat the slices dry and transfer them to a wire rack.
4. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium–high heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add the peppers to the skillet, skin side down, and fry, turning once, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the peppers are softened and browned around the edges. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peppers to a platter lined with a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
5. Add the onions to the skillet (along with another tablespoon of the oil, if necessary) and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are golden brown and softened, but not limp. Transfer the onions to the lined platter and sprinkle the paprika over the vegetables.
6. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the butter to the skillet. When the oil and butter begins to shimmer, quickly dip both sides of the liver pieces into the flour mixture. Shaking off the excess flour, place the slices, one at a time, into the hot skillet. Carefully avoid crowding the pieces in the skillet. Fry each slice for 6 seconds on each side, until it begins to brown around the edges. As each slice is sufficiently cooked, transfer it to a platter tented with foil. Repeat, adding oil as needed, until all slices of the liver are cooked.
7. Add the garlic to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and wine to the skillet and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half.
8. Return the vegetables and liver to the skillet and warm through. Remove from the heat. Transfer to a platter and serve hot. Garnish with the chopped parsley, if desired.
