Suzi's Blog
Chicken Liver Tacos
“I’m not sure about this,” I said.
“About what?” Suzen asked
“Well, Passover is coming and I found this chicken live recipe and …”
“Oh, good. Let me see.”
I showed it to her. She put it down and looked at me. Her face was a torrent: perplexed, puzzled and still curious.
“Okay,” Suzen said softly. “I’m in.”
“Can we have salsa?” I asked.
“Only if it is kosher.”
Chopped Liver Tacos
Yield: 12 tacos
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 pound white onions thinly sliced into half moons
- 2 fresh Serrano or jalapeno chiles, thinly sliced lengthwise [including seeds]
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound chicken livers, cut into lobes and trimmed of any tough white parts
- Freshly ground black powder
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Preparation:
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onions, chiles, and ½ teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and browned at the edges, about 8 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl .
*Generously season the livers on both sides with salt (about ½ teaspoon) and pepper, if you’d like. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same large pan over high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, cook the livers until they’re nicely browned on both sides and just barely pink in the center, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer them to the bowl with the onions as they’re done.
Add the contents of the bowl back to the hot pan and cook, stirring frequently and mashing a little, for a minute or two. Add the lime juice and season to taste with salt.
Serve in warm corn tortillas with finely chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, and the salsa of your choice. The author recommends tomatillo-based salsas. You can search our blog here for recipes.
Source: Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales by Roberto Santibanez
Duck Carnitas Tacos
Suzen and I have a roadside diner that is, well, upscale. Very upscale. The best thing on the menu is duck carnitas tacos. I’ve searched for a recipe for us to make at home, and we’ll be testing this weekend.
Tacos can be so much more than ground meat. Yes, that lovely picture of the pretty duck is merely the starting point. This dish concept is fancy, satisfying, and lovely to enjoy. Suzen and I have sampled it for brunch, which is the perfect time to pair with a salad and bottle of bubbly. But this can easily be a main course for dinner.
A platter of these would be a fine addition to a Sunday football party. It would be just ducky.
Dark Carnitas Tacos
Yield: 12 tacos
Ingredients:
- 4 ½ pounds duck legs [abut 4 large legs or 6 smaller legs]
- 2 medium white onions, sliced
- 1 medium garlic head, halved horizontally
- 1 [5-inch] stick Mexican cinnamon, broken into a few pieces
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 medium orange, quartered
- 2 tablespoons reserved duck fat or canola oil
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven or ovenproof pot, combine the duck legs, onions, garlic, cinnamon, and salt. Squeeze the orange quarters over the duck and add the spent oranges to the pot. Toss gently with your hands, arranging the duck legs skin side up.
Cover and cook the duck, shuffling the positions of the duck legs once, until the meat comes easily off the bone with a twist of a fork, about 2 ½ hours.
Remove the duck from the liquid fat in the pot, let it cool slightly, and pull the meat into large chunks, discarding the skin and bones. You should have about 3 cups of meat. Strain the duck fat through a sieve. Heat 2 tablespoons of the duck fat in a large pan over medium heat. Work in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan. Cook the duck, stirring occasionally, until the meat is golden brown and slightly crisp in spots, about 3 minutes.
Season to taste with salt.
Serve in warm corn tortillas with finely chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, and the salsa of your choice. The author recommends a jalapeno and pineapple salsa
Source: Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales by Roberto Santibanez
