Liver, Bacon and Onions

Before I embarked on this challenge to eat everything that pigs have to offer I checked with Z that she would be happy to come along for the ride.  When we first met, Z was a vegetarian and I couldn't cook.  A lot of water has passed under an awful lot of bridges since them.  I am now at my happiest when cooking and Z is a card carrying member of the "I like my steak bloody" club.  She is not happy to eat all meat though.  Lamb is still firmly off the menu, as is offal.

I was braced for Every Thing But The Oink to be vetoed before it had even begun but, to my surprise, Z said yes.  I'm not however, prepared to eat pig parts for the sake of it.  I want to try and celebrate each cut and make meals that I'll return to time and time again.  Offal is cheap after all.  If I'm to convince Z that we should eat more of it I'll have my work cut out.

Tonight I've cooked the first of the "fifth quarter" cuts, liver, and Z has dodged a bullet by handily arranging to go around to a friend's house for the evening.  I have cooked with pigs liver recently, making pate for Christmas, but that was last year.  I wanted to enjoy the flavour and texture of the liver so I decided on the traditional meal of liver, bacon and onions.

I'll admit that this is a meal that I have never cooked before.  I found this recipe by the Hairy Bikers and, with a glass of wine in hand, set about cooking up a feast.  Frying floured meat and onions is hardly a tricky task but I'm glad I followed their recipe.  The resulting gravy was possibly the best I have ever made and I'm not too proud to admit that the addition of tomato ketchup is a good idea.  I can't imagine that this will be a dish that Z will ever warm to, but I'm a huge fan and will be having liver again.