Fried Liver

A three-line recipe that depends entirely on speed and on when the salt goes in. Calf's liver is the assumed meat here, and the pan work takes less time than the flouring.

• "Al tegame" means the panA tegame is generally a shallow, wide pan rather than a deep casserole (the translation's "saucepan" notwithstanding). Use the widest heavy pan you have so the slices sit in a single layer without crowding; steam is the enemy of a good crust.
• Salt at the very endThis is the hinge of the recipe, and the one point the author bothers to spell out. Salt on liver before or during cooking is widely held to draw out moisture and toughen the texture. Season on the plate.
• Flour immediately before cooking"Without delay" is literal. Floured liver sitting on the board goes damp and pasty, and the coating slides off in the pan rather than browning. Dredge one batch, cook it, then dredge the next.
• Which liverCalf's liver is the likely intention, though the recipe does not specify. Beef liver works but is stronger and coarser; if you use it, slice thinner. Ask for it cut on a slicer rather than by hand for even half-inch slices.
• Trimming"Clean and trim" means peeling off the outer membrane and cutting away the pale tubes at the base of each slice. The membrane shrinks in the heat and curls the slice off the pan surface.
• TimingNo time is given because there is almost none. Half-inch slices need roughly 1½ to 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat, until the surface is browned and the centre still faintly rosy. Cooked through, liver turns dry and mealy.
• The onionBrown a small onion, sliced or finely chopped, in butter first and leave it in the pan. It will darken further while the liver cooks, so keep the heat just short of the point where the butter blackens; a spoonful of oil with the butter raises the margin.
• YieldReckon 5 to 6 oz of liver per person as a second course; a pound serves three. A lemon wedge is a common accompaniment, though the recipe calls for nothing beyond salt.