Yum, yum, wait… what? That’s right, we are going there. Liver. Seems like people either love it or hate it. Not much middle ground for the odd bits of the animal. Many of us grew up with liver and onions or liver loaf, but how many of us liked it? I remember loving the smell, but then taking a bite and UGH! So gross. The truth of it is though, those odd bits of the animal can be very nutritious and can be prepared so that they are mighty tasty. The title of this recipe does include bacon, remember?
Ingredients
- 4 oz chicken livers
- coconut oil, lard or bacon fat for frying
- 12 oz thinly sliced bacon
- 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- 1/4 cup raw shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite type)
- 15-20 small medium peppers (spicy or sweet varieties)
- Toothpicks (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by prepping the peppers. Cut off the stems, cut the pepper about halfway down lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Remember, the seeds hold the heat so wash your hands after you are done!
- In a medium bowl, blend together the ricotta and cream cheeses. I like my immersion blender for this. Stir in the shredded cheese. Put aside.
- Cut chicken livers into cubes. The pieces will need to fit into your pepper with room for cheese, so the size will vary depending on the size of the peppers. Be sure to cut off any stringy or tough spots.
- Fry the livers in the fat of your choice until just browned on all sides.
- Using a teaspoon, your fingers, or a pastry bag, put a layer of cheese mixture into a pepper.
- Place a piece of liver on top of the cheese, and top it with another layer of cheese.
- Take a strip of bacon and wrap the pepper. I found that I had enough bacon to wrap it once the length of the pepper, and then again a few times around the width. If needed, use a toothpick to keep the bacon from unwrapping.
- Place all wrapped peppers on a cookie sheet and place into a cold oven. Turn heat to 400°F and bake for 20 minutes or until bacon is done to your liking.
Brie says
Can you provide a prep time?
Also many servings this recipe provides?
Thanks.