Liver and onions--it's official, I'm a convert

To me, liver & onions ruins three things: a potential good dish (onions, sauteed), good catfish bait (the liver), and my appetite.

[Jenise]

Mike mentioned meatloaf with liver worked into it. That reminded me of an entree I had years ago at Globo's, a restaurant that was, at the time, the last word in fashionable dining in Adelaide. It was a terrine of chicken, with chicken livers. The 'loaf' was created from fine-ground white chicken meat, subtly seasoned, with chicken livers stirred through. A slice of this had the liver pieces dotted through the loaf rather like the sultanas in a good sultana cake. I recall it was served with a sour raspberry sauce.

That sounds lovely, Matilda. All the plusses with none of the minuses.

[Jenise]

To me, liver & onions ruins three things: a potential good dish (onions, sauteed), good catfish bait (the liver), and my appetite.

I have a feeling that, like me, you've mostly had really bad liver in your life. Should something better come your way, you might convert. BTW, have you ever had foie gras?

Jenise, no, I haven't ever knowingly had Foie Gras. I am also unlikely to ever try it, for two reasons:
1 - It is mostly fat, and I have had a life-long struggle with my weight and cholesterol levels. I may eat fats (cooking oils, butter in moderation, chocolate, etc), but if I am going to eat something that is fat-laden, it will be something which I either already enjoy, or the thought of eating it causes the ol' pleasure centers to light up. Foie Gras being liver, it causes the opposite effect in my mind, no matter how good it may actually taste.

2 - It is liver, the organ primarily responsible for cleansing the animal's blood of toxins and assorted unsavory things that can cause a living creature harm. Therefore, as many of those unsavory substances end up permanently residing in the liver, to my mind it does not equate to being a foodstuff for my consumption. Ever. It does make great bait, however.

There are so many things out in the wide world that I enjoy or think I will enjoy, that I can't see the point in eating something the very thought of which fills me with negative vibes before I even take a bite. Other foods which evoke the same responses are brains (I think Mad Cow), blood sausage , rutabagas, and oysters (which I have tried once, and never again).

Put me in the liver lover's camp. I like beef liver, chicken liver, pork liver, but my favorite (other than foie gras) is calves. I've gotten Betsy to point where she'll try a bite of calves liver if I order at a restaurant, but she doesn't make it. So I do when she's away (and occasionally I do beef liver, a much more intense experience, couple times a year is plenty for me- too bad, as it's dirt cheap).

I haven't had rumaki in years, maybe next big party.

To me, liver & onions ruins three things: a potential good dish (onions, sauteed), good catfish bait (the liver), and my appetite.

You left out one thing: house odor.

[Jenise]

2 - It is liver, the organ primarily responsible for cleansing the animal's blood of toxins and assorted unsavory things that can cause a living creature harm. Therefore, as many of those unsavory substances end up permanently residing in the liver, to my mind it does not equate to being a foodstuff for my consumption.

Part of my dislike for liver is a general objection to all organ meats for much this reason. I have to make myself NOT think about it.

Liked the meal you are talking about, but generally stay away from liver if it isn't in FG form. Too many bad experiences with strong tasting badly cooked liver. Don't like any innards much at all for the same reason, although I have certainly had tender palatable kidneys before, I have also experienced rather foul ones.

[Jenise]

Liked the meal you are talking about, but generally stay away from liver if it isn't in FG form. Too many bad experiences with strong tasting badly cooked liver. Don't like any innards much at all for the same reason, although I have certainly had tender palatable kidneys before, I have also experienced rather foul ones.

Yes, I am fairly certain that my conversion is completely conditional--calves liver only, and then only expertly prepared. Beef liver or a preparation like Howie described would probably send me round the bend.

Kidneys--yikes. That thought causes me to tell you that my first experience with goose liver did not work out well: it was purchased at one of those grand markets in Paris, preserved in gelee in a crock, and taken to Beaune where we had it with a bottle of sauternes as an afternoon repast with crusty bread where dinner was going to be much later that night. I can't even tell you what it was about it that I didn't like because it didn't stay in my mouth long enough to think it through: one bite brought on immediate and total revulsion, and I had to run to the bathroom to lose it. I don't think that, as an adult, I've ever reacted like that to anything else. But a "rather foul kidney" would likely do it.

Nobody has mentioned sweetbreads Thymus=best-- pancreas = 2nd best. My wife says she is very suspicious of anybody's palate who doesn't like well prepared sweetbreads. I know that all the professional chefs we have known as friends all like them. They are organs. Now I'll step aside as the darts are thrown in my direction.

Nobody has mentioned sweetbreads Thymus=best-- pancreas = 2nd best. My wife says she is very suspicious of anybody's palate who doesn't like well prepared sweetbreads. I know that all the professional chefs we have known as friends all like them. They are organs. Now I'll step aside as the darts are thrown in my direction.

Love sweetbreads! Nice texture, neutral flavours that take any sauce beautifully, what's not to like. It is only the strongly flavoured organ meats that don't do it for me. My objections to things are based on taste, not the thought of what the food is, or might come from. Unlike 'Never let em see you wince' Jenise who will never be able to eat rabbit again without someone in the background going "Meow...."

brains (I think Mad Cow), blood sausage , rutabagas, and oysters (which I have tried once, and never again)

I'm pretty much with you, Robert - although I do love liver and kidneys.

Well, who says humans are consistent? I like liver and kidneys, but won't touch brains, tripe, or blood sausage, and have no desire to eat any other organ meats, really ... although I do eat haggis at Scottish occasions. Good haggis is tasty. Bad haggis is awful. Does tongue count as an organ? I will eat it if it is given to me but wouldn't choose it.

I used to take the view that eating organ meats was largely a matter of the necessity of earlier times and it was odd that we continued to eat them in times of plenty. I was probably on the wrong track with this, though. I've noticed that wild animals will often eat the liver, brain and tongue ahead of other parts of their kill.