VISION OF LOVELINESS

UNDENIABLE

You may have an aversion to pork liver. It is some pretty nasty stuff, and hard to get ahold-of these days! My recipe calls for fresh livers, and those Ahmish markets are an excellent source for the good stuff[their pork chops are to-die-for!]. If you hear that a neighbor is fixing to butcher a pig, don't miss the event, and prepare for a bidding-war over all manner of entrails.When Mother made her celebrated 'liver pudding,' also known-widely as liver mush, we could just ask the butcher for some slimy, bloody pig-parts, while stressing the word "fresh!" Them days is sadly gone forever. Get 'em however you can; your nose can tell you when they're fresh[after sniffing enough examples].

Mother boiled that liver in a ten-quart dutch-oven that was aluminum; aluminum has gotten a bad rap, mostly from manufacturers of non-aluminum cookware; I prefer it for most applications, and always buy CLUBWARE, in the biggest 'set' available, to get all those lids! You'll want to cover the boiling livers[not that it will do any good].

Mother boiled them all day, mostly on days when her two children would be gone off someplace. The toxins, absorbed in the tissues need to get 'boiled off,' and she would drain off all the frothy water[periodically], replacing it with cold, fresh tap-water, and boiling these stinking organs some more[don't worry about overcooking them; about three pounds makes a generous loaf]. The steam escaping from around the lid, infuses the entire house with a peculiar, and mostly distasteful odor[not like frying fish does, and that odor can persist for days/weeks; the liver odor is gone, when the steam is gone].

After cooling them on her oil-cloth-covered work-table[our kitchen was roomy, and had two entrances, one of which had a swinging-door, that you could negotiate by backing through, when loaded down with steaming serving dishes; that route to the 'formal' dining room, led you through the butler's pantry, to a second swinging door; drawers in the pantry is where the good silverware is kept][swinging doors leading to the kitchen, in most restaurants, have eye-level windows in them, or they have two/one for IN & one for OUT; they must avoid spilled platters; this is why you back through those swinging doors, if carrying hot food or any sort of beverage], it was time to get out the old hand-cranked meat grinder, and clamp it securely to the edge of the table[Dad built this table just for Mom, and the shelf underneath, always stacked high with gadgetry most folks today have never seen, or even heard of, was masked by a gaudy curtain that hid the unsightly mess][Mom had all the old-style tools/utensils in common use, before electric appliances began to appear; 1920's].

You have also prepared[while the cooling takes place] a large Corning Ware cooking-dish, by 'greasing' it liberally with margarine, and have this standing-by. A large mixing bowl is brought out, to accept what is now about 2 pounds of finely ground[there are assorted 'blades' to affix to the grinder with a large wing-nut; the one with the most blades & the smallest holes, are used for this recipe], light-brown in color, fully-cooked pork liver.

Like his breakfast sausage, Dad liked his liver puddin' spicy. You add flakes of dried red chili peppers to taste, and you add to what looks like 8 cups of meat, around 4 cups of corn meal. This is mixed by hand[no better way to know if the consistency is correct], and when thoroughly mixed, is pressed tightly into the greased glass dish, forming the loaf. Cover with 'tin-foil' and let stand in the refrigerator overnight[only cold like this will it slice correctly; you also should not slice it, until the frying pan is bubbling away, with enough Crisco to cover the bottom half of the slices]. Mother's slices were about 3/8 inch-thick, and quickly fry to an almost sienna-color, in a medium to hot frying pan[cast iron is good here]. She rained them on a paper towel, and you can cook for one, or the whole family. They don't have to be served while hot, but I like them that way. You recover the dish with the same foil, and it will keep well for days, 'til all used up.These slices are 'tender,' and you must handle them carefully, because the thin slices can crumble[spoiling your presentation]. This is why I said to have the hot skillet ready to receive them. Use your sharpest knife for slicing, and if it is wide enough, you can use the blade to move it into your skillet. Once the bottom-side has browned, it is crusty, and not as likely to break apart.

I have always hated the taste of liver, and had to be forced into eating this concoction, when a young child. It is the perfect pairing for scrambled eggs[morning or night], and with added salt[you may have noticed none of this is added, when you mix your ingredients; salt can impede the coagulation taking place overnight; freezing your left-overs can also spoil the 'sliceability,' but crumbly bits can still be fried, and perhaps added into an omelet], your 'breakfast patties' taste nothing like liver... nothing but Mmmm, good!