Liver and Beans with Paprika

On the odd occasion fresh liver is available from our butchers and when it is we always snap it up straight away. I have always been a big fan of liver ever since I was a child when Grandma would cook up liver and bacon for lunch in her old terraced house in the North of England.

As one of the cheaper foods that would help see people through harder times liver is now regaining popularity, an aquired taste perhaps, but throw in some bacon, tomatoes and a Spanish twist with some smoked paprika and you have a delicious lunch or warming winter meal.

Ingredients: (serves 3)

750g Fresh liver, cleaned
200g Bacon
3 Ripe tomatoes, chopped
400g White beans, soaked
Ground black pepper
Smoked paprika
Olive oil

How to cook:

1. Slice the liver and the bacon into strips.

2. Pour a splash of olive oil in a frying pan and fry off the liver.

3. In a cazuela, heat up the tomaotoes and white beans.

4. Add the liver and bacon and warm through.

5. Season with pepper and add a small pinch of paprika, mix well.

6. Cook in the cazuelas for 15 minutes.

7. Serve with seasonal greens and potatoes.

Tip: to add a real Spanish twist to this dish try replacing the bacon with some pancetta and fry until crisp to add a little "crunch" to the dish.

Spanish Spices and Smoked Paprika >>>


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Spanish Butchers

Buying from your local Spanish butcher can, at times be a bewildering experience. Choice cuts of lomo tenderloin, variations of offal, legs and paletillas of lamb, morcon, morcilla, brains (yes, brains) trotters and prime ham...



There is a big issue in the UK at the moment driven by all sorts of entities regarding where food originates from. Rightly so but what went wrong in the first place? Simple works, why complicate things! The UK produces some of the best meat available in the world as does Spain, France, Germany, Italy and thats just a handful from the EU.

Every country prides itself on its produce, one exceptional gourmet line from rural Andalucia is "Cordero Segureno"



To find out more about Andalucian meats from local rural butchers including what to ask for, recipe ideas, cuts of meat, offal and a whole lot more take a look at our latest article "Sausages to Sirloin"

Tapas - Ultimate Simplicity

Tapas are a simple affair, still free with your alcoholic drink in the province of Granada here in Spain.

Charging for tapas!? This has always been something that vexes me, bars, people and the culture that created and still serve tapas see no reason why these little dishes of Spain should be charged for, at least not in Granada. Sign of the times perhaps that tapas are becoming a tradition which can no longer be substantiated. From a business point of view this is fully understandable. It will be a sad day when that part of Andalucia exists no more..

Nice and simple tapas for literally cents..



Take a Spanish "barra" (bread stick) and cut off some thin slices then toast

Cut a thin slice of liver/pork/ham etc and place on top

Then, a small teaspoon of alioli (garlic mayonnaise)

...and a light sprinkle of smoked paprika, garnish with broad leaf parsley

Looks great, is easy and quick to make and it doesn't break the bank to create a full spread.

Enjoy....!

Liver Tapas

Liver is certainly a matter of taste, a healthy food though full of iron. If you are cooking liver and have some spare keep some aside as it can be enjoyed hot or cold. Here we have a simple tapa of liver and cheese with cracked black pepper



Cut the liver into thin slices and fry gently for around 10 minutes.

Meanwhile cut some small thin slices of manchego cheese

Place on top of the liver and sprinkle with freshly ground black peppercorns



An unusual but very effective flavour combination. Enjoy!

Liver & Onions with Paprika

We enjoyed this simple recipe in a tapas bar a couple of weeks ago, the liver and onions came served in terracotta cazuelas. A nice Spanish twist with the Smoked Paprika too and thoroughly enjoyable.

Ingredients:

750g Liver
2 Onions
3 Cloves of garclic
Parsley
Bay leaf
Olive oil
Salt
Paprika



Chop the onion and parsley and fry with bay leaf and parsley until the onion softens.

Season the liver with salt and add to the pan with a tablespoon of paprika

Serve piping hot.

We had this dish with bread but it would also be good served up with chips, fritter, or rice.

Liver tapas

More photos of prehistoric cats... this is the same guy from the previous post and an actual cast of the bones found in Fuente Nueva. Some influence for Ridley Scott's "ALIEN" movie in 1979?



Lambs liver or "higado" is quite popular in Andalucia. With some fresh good quality liver one of the best ways to cook it to gently fry..

It was an accident when this method came about as our neighbours brought some liver for us to cook in the frying pan. Due to time (and some hungry guests) we decided to throw the chopped up liver into a terracotta cazuela with a little olive oil and let it cook over the BBQ coals (15 minutes)

Apparently the taste was infinitely better over the smokey barbeque



The liver needs to be sliced up into generous parts and sliced thinly later for serving. Sea salt adds a nice flavour as well as a little crunch, excellent with a good red wine for tapas or starters.

Always good to hear "Muy buena!!!" after such a simple tapa.

Liver in Red Wine Sauce

A very common and enjoyable family meal in Andalucia which is also ideal for tapas. Lambs liver in red wine can be served up as a main meal, racione "larger tapas" or simple Spanish finger food with a cool beer or glass of wine.



You will need (serves 4):

half kilo of lambs liver
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon of plain flour
small glass red wine
salt and pepper to taste



How to cook:

1. Cut the liver into thin strips
2. In a frying pan, heat the oil then add the liver and cook gently until browned. Once browned, take the liver out of the pan.
3. Add the flour to the pan and stir, then add the wine slowly stirring well.
4. Return the liver to the pan and cook gently for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened, season to taste.
5. Serve with seasonal vegetables for a main meal or dish up into separate bowls for tapas and always keep the fresh bread handy!



A good red wine is as good in the glass as well as in the meal!