The New Complete Book of Food

0 The New Complete Book of Food

The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food

As fresh as possible. Fresh-frozen liver, if kept properly cold, may be even fresher than “fresh”

liver that has never been frozen but has been sitting for a day or two in the supermarket

meat case.

Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food

Galactose-free diet (for control of galactosemia)

Low-calcium diet

Low-cholesterol, controlled-fat diet

Low-protein, low-purine diet

Buying This Food

Look for: Liver that has a deep, rich color and smells absolutely fresh.

Storing This Food

Fresh liver is extremely perishable. It should be stored in the refrigerator for no longer than a

day or two and in the freezer, at 0°F, for no longer than three to four months.

Preparing This Food

Wipe the liver with a damp cloth. If your butcher has not already done so, pull off the outer

membrane, and cut out the veins. Sheep, pork, and older beef liver are strongly flavored; to

make them more palatable, soak these livers for several hours in cold milk, cold water, or a

marinade, then discard the soaking liquid when you are ready to cook the liver.

What Happens When You Cook This Food

When liver is heated it loses water and shrinks. Its pigments, which combine with oxygen,

are denatured by the heat, breaking into smaller fragments that turn brown, the natural

color of cooked meat. Since liver has virtually no collagen (the connective tissue that stays

chewy unless you cook it for a long time), it should be cooked as quickly as possible to keep

it from drying out.

How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food

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