No. 902 — Whole Roast Calf Liver Larded with Bacon
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 902 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Soak a calf liver in milk for two hours, remove the outer skin and lard it with strips of pork fat.
Place slices of pork fat, butter, root vegetables and spices on the bottom of a saucepan and lay the liver on top.
Cover and braise until done, turning the liver to brown every side.
When almost ready, salt it, add a spoonful of juniper berries, sprinkle flour into the sauce and pour in 1½ glasses of broth and ½ glass of sour cream. Continue braising.
Strain the sauce, cut the liver into slices on a serving platter and pour over it. Serve with mashed potatoes or carrot sauce.
The author also suggests cooling leftover roasted liver, grating it and serving it with tea, sprinkled over buttered bread like the grated green cheese mentioned in the original.
To provide
1 calf liver and ½ Russian pound of bacon or pork fat ½ carrot, ½ leek and ½ parsley root ½ celery root and ½ onion 2–3 bay leaves | 10–15 allspice berries 4–5 cloves and 1½ spoonfuls of butter ½ glass of sour cream ½ spoonful of flour |