Fegato alla Veneziana: Venetian Liver and Onions Done Right

Trim the calf's liver of all membrane and sinew — pull it off with your fingers or a sharp knife; any left behind will shrink during cooking and curl the strips. Slice into strips roughly 5cm long and 1cm thick. Pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

Halve the onions and slice into half-moons about 3mm thick.

Heat the olive oil and 30g of the butter in a wide, heavy pan over low heat. Add the onions and cook for 20–25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until completely soft, sweet, and translucent. They must not take on any color — if they start to catch, add a splash of water or wine to slow things down.

Pour in the white wine and increase heat to medium-low. Let it reduce for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until fully absorbed. The onions should look almost jammy. Push them to the sides of the pan.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 30g butter to the center of the pan and let it foam.

Add the liver strips in a single layer — do not crowd them. Cook undisturbed for 1–2 minutes until browned on the bottom.

Flip the strips and cook for 1 minute more. Cut into one strip: it should be just barely pink at the center. Pull the pan off the heat immediately.

Stir the onions back in with the liver. Add the white wine vinegar and toss briefly to coat everything.

Season with sea salt and black pepper.

Scatter the chopped flat-leaf parsley over the top and serve immediately — on soft polenta or with crusty bread to catch the juices.