Fried Duck Livers with Drunk Raisins

The actual title of this recipe is Fried Duck Livers with Raisins Soaked in Gewürztraminer & Kirsch. It comes from the book Frontières by Alex Jackson, published in 2023. The recipes in the book come from the food of France’s borderlands, including the Alps, the Riviera, North Africa, Alsace, and the Southwest. It’s a fantastic twist on French cuisine, offering versions of French foods “from rival villages, techniques from across the sea, and the cooking from one side of a mountain range to another. It is the space in between pesto in Genoa and pistou in Provence.”

From the book I’ve made Salade Strasbourgeois, an excellent Alsatian salad comprised mostly of sausage and cheese!

Not surprisingly, this recipe I chose is also Alsace-based. My grandfather, who I never met, was Alsatian, and I’ve always loved the foods of that region. A favorite meal of mine was in vieux Colmar, after having met two long lost French relatives!

I purchased the duck livers on Tasty Duck, and received them promptly. The company is owned by Joe Jurgielewicz, and is one of the leading Pekin duck suppliers in North America. The website sells everything duck, from raw to cooked to smoked, including duck parts, like lips, if you’re interested.

My only change in this recipe is in regards to the kirsch. I think my mother ruined me in my childhood by serving baba au rhum and brandied fruit fairly often. These desserts were so alcoholic and I detested them. That could be why I don’t enjoy any food that has alcohol in it, especially a strong liquor like kirsch. So I omitted it. So my raisins just have a buzz.

Fried Duck Livers with Raisins Soaked in Gewürztraminer and Kirsch
Serves 2

2 tablespoons raisins, ideally half light, half dark
4 teaspoons Kirsch
4 teaspoons sweet Gewürztraminer
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, halved and sliced into half-moons
2 cloves
8 duck or chicken livers, trimmed of sinew, but otherwise left whole
1 tablespoon neutral oil
3 1/2 tablespoons chicken stock
3 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg
Buttered toast, to serve

Soak the raisins in the kirsch and Gewürztraminer overnight. (I only used the Gewürztraminer.)

The following day, heat half the butter in a small pan and slowly fry the shallot until very soft and sweet. Set aside.

Crush the cloves to a powder using a mortar and pestle, then add the same quantity of grated nutmeg and of black pepper. Give it a few smashes and mix together. Set aside ready for use; you should have 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mix.

Season the livers with salt. Heat a heavy nonstick pan over medium-high heat, add the oil, wait until it just starts to smoke, then add the livers and color to an even golden brown. Make sure that the pan is not overcrowded – work in two batches if necessary – and don’t move the livers around too much until they have formed a golden crust, which should only take a minute.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and flip the livers. Sprinkle the spices over the frying livers, give the pan a shake, and reduce the heat. The spices burn easily, so be careful. Once the spices have started to fry in the butter and smell fantastic, but while the livers are still pink inside, add the softened shallots, then the raisins in their marinade.

Simmer quickly, reduce the liquid to a syrup, then add the stock. Continue to simmer until the stock has thickened slightly.

Add the cream, simmer briefly, correct the seasoning, and serve on top of buttered toast. The livers should ideally still be a bit pink.

I enjoyed these livers so much. I felt like I was at a fancy restaurant eating them!

I especially love the toast with all of the luscious sauce soaked into it.

I’m so glad the lovely sauce doesn’t have kirsch in it. It’s perfect as is.