Fegato alla Veneziana (Venetian Calf's Liver and Onions)

Ingredients

• 600 g calf's liver (1 cm thick slice, very fresh from the butcher), sliced into 5 mm ribbons
• 500 g yellow onions (4 medium), thinly sliced
• 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil (Venetian)
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 150 ml dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Vermentino)
• 30 ml whole milk or cream (optional, traditional in some versions)
• 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
• 6 g fine sea salt
• 2 g white pepper
• 30 g unbleached flour (optional, for light coating)

Method

1. 1
   Heat 40 ml olive oil and 25 g butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat; add thinly sliced onions and cook gently for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft, translucent, and beginning to caramelize without browning (the onions should form the base of the dish and become almost melting).
2. 2
   Season the onions with 3 g fine sea salt and a pinch of white pepper; pour in white wine and let simmer for 2–3 minutes, then reduce heat to very low and keep warm.
3. 3
   Pat calf's liver slices dry with absorbent paper; season lightly with salt and white pepper on both sides (do not season heavily, as the liver is already delicate).
4. 4
   Heat remaining 20 ml olive oil and 15 g butter in a separate large, heavy pan over medium-high heat until it foams; working quickly (the liver cooks rapidly and becomes tough if overcooked), place liver slices in the pan and sear for 45 seconds on each side until just cooked through with a faint blush of pink at the centre (do not overcook).
5. 5
   Remove the liver from the pan and arrange it over the warm onions; if using milk or cream, stir a small splash into the onions for richness (traditional but optional), then scatter the liver slices evenly on top.
6. 6
   Sprinkle with fresh parsley, taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve immediately while the liver is still warm and tender; the sauce should be creamy, aromatic, and abundant (fegato is as much about the onions as the liver itself).