Calves Liver, Onion Gravy, Sage and Mash

This masterclass is a tribute to the late, great chef Alastair Little. One of the founding fathers of great British cooking, James learned to cook this dish of Calves Liver, Onion Gravy, Sage and Mash while undertaking work experience in one of his kitchens.

Ingredients

Splash of veg oil
2 onions, sliced thinly
75g butter
4 calves liver slices
2 tbsp seasoned flour
few sage leaves
100ml chicken stock
50ml white wine
1 tsp white wine vinegar

500g mash potatoes
50g butter
50ml double cream
Seasoning

Method

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Drizzle oil into a hot pan and add 50g of butter and the onions and cook on a gentle heat without colour for 1 hour.
Heat another non-stick pan until heated through and add the oil and butter. While this is melting, coat the calf’s liver with seasoned flour and dust off any excess. When the butter begins foaming, add the liver slices, cook on one side for 2 minutes then flip over, add the sage and cook for another 2 minutes. Rest on a tray. In the same pan, deglaze with wine vinegar and stock, reduce by half then finish with the remaining butter, take off the heat then pop the onions and cooked liver back in.
Warm the mash with the butter and cream, season.
To serve spoon mash onto plates, and top with liver – spooning over the gravy.

Ingredients

Splash of veg oil
2 onions, sliced thinly
75g butter
4 calves liver slices
2 tbsp seasoned flour
few sage leaves
100ml chicken stock
50ml white wine
1 tsp white wine vinegar

500g mash potatoes
50g butter
50ml double cream
Seasoning

Method

Drizzle oil into a hot pan and add 50g of butter and the onions and cook on a gentle heat without colour for 1 hour.
Heat another non-stick pan until heated through and add the oil and butter. While this is melting, coat the calf’s liver with seasoned flour and dust off any excess. When the butter begins foaming, add the liver slices, cook on one side for 2 minutes then flip over, add the sage and cook for another 2 minutes. Rest on a tray. In the same pan, deglaze with wine vinegar and stock, reduce by half then finish with the remaining butter, take off the heat then pop the onions and cooked liver back in.
Warm the mash with the butter and cream, season.
To serve spoon mash onto plates, and top with liver – spooning over the gravy.