Recipe of the day: Budget dinner with creamy peri-peri chicken livers and mushrooms

Make a quick dinner with pan-seared livers simmered in a creamy, smoky tomato sauce with mushrooms, garlic and chilli.

Finished with a zing of lemon and served with warm Portuguese rolls, it’s a bold, comforting dish perfect for sharing.

Ingredients  

• 500 g free-range chicken livers
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 3-5 fresh bay leaves
• 250 g white button mushrooms sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 70 g tomato paste
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1-2 tsp chilli flakes, depending on heat preference
• 250 ml cream
• 1 lemon zest and juice
• 6 crusty Portuguese rolls for serving
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil for cooking

Instructions 

• Dry chicken livers well with paper towel.
• Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat.
• Sear the chicken livers until golden brown on all sides, but not cooked through. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add a fresh little drizzle of olive oil if necessary and the 1 Tbsp of butter to the pan.
• Reduce heat to medium.
• Add onion and sauté until tender.
• Add garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant.
• Add bay leaves, mushrooms, red pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, smoked paprika and chilli flakes.
• Cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms and peppers begin to soften and the tomato paste turns a dark red colour.
• Pour in the cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
• Add the seared chicken livers back into the pan.
• Simmer for 5-10 minutes being careful not to overcook the chicken livers.
• Test one by cutting it open and it should still be just slightly pink in the middle.
• When the chicken livers are cooked, finish the dish with the lemon zest and lemon juice. Stir through.
• Serve the spicy livers and mushrooms straight from the pan with warm crusty Portuguese rolls and enjoy!

Issued on The Citizen (South Africa) by Thami Kwazi | https://www.citizen.co.za/lifestyle/food-and-drink/recipes/recipe-of-the-day-creamy-peri-peri-chicken-livers-mushrooms/