Calf's Liver Provencale

How this brings back memories! The Coach House in Lexington, Ky. for years was one of the finest restaurants within a hundred miles, and always my favorite in my young adult life. Stanley Demos, the owner/chef, was the kind of guy everyone wanted to know and be friends with. Some of my favorite recipes still are from his The Stanley Demos Cookbook, copyright 1961. This is only one of them, and the introduction to the recipe is from Stanley.

"There are many types of Liver - Pork, Lamb, Beef and Chicken. But the most tender and flavorsome one, is Calf's Liver. This delicate "foie de veau" is rather an expensive item, so it's really a treat to serve. Besides being very nutritious, it's a good change of pace victual.

There are many ways to prepare Calf's Liver. I think it's merely a matter of taste, and how one feels at the time of preparation. One time it might be Calf's Liver with Onions, Calf's Liver with crisp Bacon or Calf's Liver with Bearnaise Sauce. My favorite is with garlic and potatoes, a delicious combination, and one that everyone enjoys." Stanley Demos

Calf's Liver Provencale
Printed Version

Allow 2 nice slices of Calf's Liver per person, sliced 1/2-inch thick. Put some shortening in a skillet and let it melt. Salt and pepper the Liver. Roll lightly in flour and brown quickly. Put in a serving platter and keep warm. Remove excess fat from skillet and put in a half stick of butter and melt. Into the melted butter, add 1/2 cup blanched diced potatoes. Let them brown lightly. About 30 seconds before removing them from the heat, add a small clove of garlic, chopped very fine, and saute until garlic and potatoes are well mixed. Scoop this over the liver. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Chicken Livers are also excellent prepared this way.

COOK'S NOTE: Stanley is also the one who told me to never buy beef liver if I had a choice, to always buy Calf's Liver.