Sneakin' In the Good Stuff!

There's more than one way to
skin this cat...Don't be afraid to
try NEW ways to eat this 'old'
nutrient-dense super-food!
(Photo credit to gertc96 at food.com)
 

This is not a post to convince readers that pasture-grazed meats, organ meats in particular, are good. If you're here, you probably know that already. If not, please refer HERE for more information on the remarkable benefits of eating liver. (This is a 'must read' if you don't know or have only a fuzzy recall of what you have learned in the past about the greatness of liver.)

Most people don't love it. It's said that taste buds change every seven years and that could be the reason that I can now more than tolerate liver...if it's cooked a certain way. Liver dredged in flour, cooked first in a skillet w/bacon fat and lots of onions, until browned and a little crisp on the outside. Add gravy. This is edible for me, marvelous for some. But as far as I used to be concerned, the only way it was tolerable. It truly was the only way I thought I'd ever eat it.

But good cooks, and inventive ones, have taught me much over the last few years and there is one way to incorporate liver into the diet that I bet just about anyone would love.  I took it, in fact, to a meeting that included food. Nearly everyone there was 15 to 30 years younger than I. And they raved over this dish. I hated to tell those who asked that it contained liver...but they were okay with it. Why? Because it tasted so doggone good, that's why!

This potato casserole doesn't use a whole lot of liver, but one of the other tidbits of info I've discovered is that it doesn't take much liver to nicely heft up our nutritional intake. So this recipe is a great way to sneak in some of the good stuff.

And before you get too far into the recipe, you should know that pasture-grazed lard and tallow are good for us, too, outlandish as that may sound to newcomers to the idea of traditional foods. Find out more HERE.

Sneaky Potato Casserole
(Go organic w/ingredients as much as possible. Use pasture-grazed beef liver and lard/tallow.)

Wash 3 medium white potatoes and 3 medium sweet potatoes, leaving on skins.
Finely chop 1/2 onion
Finely chop 2-3 cloves garlic
1 Tbs. Pasture-grazed Lard or Tallow
1 Tbs. Butter (Don't try to substitute butter for the lard/tallow, they not only increase nutrient density and flavor, but when mixed w/butter, either will raise its burning point.)
About 4 ounces. Pasture-Grazed beef liver- FROZEN
6 slices bacon-chopped finely
Have Salt, Pepper and dried Parsley ready for seasoning
1/4 lb. cheese, GRATED

Fill  large pot about half full. Add a tablespoon of salt to the water and heat on high until water boils.
Turn to medium heat and add white potatoes to water. After water boils again, set timer for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, add the sweet potatoes. (They cook faster than white potatoes.)
Set timer for 40 more minutes.
While waiting, chop onion, garlic and bacon.
Put Lard/Tallow in large skillet and melt over medium heat. Add butter and melt together.
Place all bacon in skillet and render until pieces are crispy. Do not remove fat.
Add onion and cook in fat until translucent.
Using handheld grater, FINELY grate FROZEN liver right over the skillet. Stir frequently while cooking liver.
Add garlic last and stir while cooking. -About a minute. (Be careful not to allow the garlic to burn as this will cause it to taste bitter.)
Turn temp. to lowest setting until potatoes are ready to add.
Remove 1-2 TBS. mixture and set aside for garnish.

Potatoes:
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

After time is up, remove pot from heat and pour potatoes and water into a colander over sink.
Remove skins from potatoes when cool enough to handle.
Cube-cut all potatoes. I cut them into about 1/2" cubes.
Turn skillet heat back up to medium-high.
Gently add cooked and cubed potatoes to skillet.
Gently mix all skillet ingredients. (I use a spatula to gently turn them rather than mix, mix, mix making mush, mush, mush!)
Allow to cook about 5 minutes together, melding flavors. (Lower heat if needed to prevent burning.)
Pour all into 9x13 glass baking pan. (greased)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Sprinkle with parsley.


Potatoes and mixture in casserole
just before adding cheese.

Just before going into the oven...
All that's left is the melting!

Sprinkle grated cheese on top.
Sprinkle reserved bacon mixture on top of cheese.
Put dish in oven and cook for 15-20 minutes...just enough to melt the cheese.
Now, you know I'm all about taking it and making it your own, so...do!
Consider adding turmeric...I add it to many recipes because it has great anti-inflammatory properties. Its golden color would be complimentary to appearance of the casserole.
What else could you change? Use a different cheese? Different seasonings that have become favorites? Even a different, healthy fat, like coconut oil? If you like a bit of heat, consider a bit of red curry or crushed peppers.
Perhaps there is an ingredient, (other than the liver!) that you don't like...It may be one that can be removed, say for instance, the garlic or even the onions.

Be creative. Do your own 'thing'. Be FEARLESS!

And by all means, EAT YOUR LIVER!
.