This is an excellent, uber-simple method for cooking any poultry liver I picked up from Chef Brad Farmerie of New York City. He does it with domestic duck and chicken livers, which will almost always be fattier than a wild duck liver. I would not recommend doing this with a really lean wild liver – think tan, not burgundy red. This is an ecstatic bite, not a meal.
3tablespoonsgrapeseed or other high smoke-point oil
2duck or goose livers(or more)
Fine sea salt
High-quality balsamic vinegar(the good stuff)
Instructions
Get a small frying pan screaming hot. Add about a tablespoon of grapeseed, safflower or rice bran oil (or other high smoke point oil). Heat this until it smokes, then take the pan off the heat and gently lay down the livers. As soon as they hit the hot oil, shake the pan a little so the livers do not stick. Set the pan back on the heat and sear the livers for 90 seconds. Baste the livers with the hot oil for 30 seconds and remove from the heat.
To serve, sprinkle some fine salt on the liver; fleur de sel is a good choice. Drizzle a little high-quality balsamic vinegar over it and serve immediately. If you can’t get the good balsamic, boil some cheaper stuff down by half so it’s syrupy.
Notes
Remember this works with any fatty liver: chicken, goose, turkey, pheasant. You want them tan, not dark red.