Cibreo
A very old dish made from chicken offal in a rich sauce scented with nutmeg, and served with toast.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 oz pancetta or bacon diced
- cooking oil as needed
- All purpose flour as needed
- 6 oz chicken livers and hearts
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Fresh chopped parsley or chives to garnish
- Kosher salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- Fresh grated nutmeg to taste
- 1/2 cup chicken stock highest quality
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 2 medium-sized unlaid eggs or 1 large egg yolk
- Toasted bread for serving, preferably sourdough
Instructions
- Cut the livers and hearts into small, bite-sized pieces. Remove any remnants of the gall bladder or sinew.
- Pack the livers and hearts in paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible. Break (pop) the unlaid eggs into a small bowl, mix well with the cream and reserve.
- Heat the bacon in an 8 inch saute pan and render the fat until crisp, then add the remaining oil. Toss the livers and hearts in the flour, and add to the pan and cook until browned all over and crisp, tossing occasionally. Add the shallots and cook for a few minutes until lightly colored.
- Sprinkle over the ½ teaspoon flour, cook for a minute more, then deglaze the pan with the wine and cook until nearly dry. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, then cook down until it looks like a nice, rich gravy. Season with the salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the egg cream and mix well, swirling the pan to distribute it and heat the egg through. Keep stirring gently for a minute more—the egg should thicken the sauce lightly, then pour into a boat or bowl, garnish with some parsley or chives and serve with toasted or grilled bread.