Good, tender calf liver is one of our most underrated meats, in part, I suspect, because nearly everyone overcooks it. It is best rare, and this recipe takes advantage of that.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　2 tablespoons butter or more oil

　　4 slices calf liver, each at least 1/2 inch thick, about 1 1/2 pounds total

　　Flour for dredging

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 teaspoons minced garlic

　　1/2 cup dry white wine

　　10 or 15 sage leaves, preferably fresh

　　Juice of 1 lemon

　　Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

　　

Step 1

Put half the oil and butter in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, dredge each of the pieces of liver in the flour, shaking to remove the excess, and add them to the skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and brown quickly on both sides, for a total of 4 or 5 minutes; the meat should be rare when you’re done. Transfer to a warm plate and turn the heat to medium.

　　

Step 2

Add the remaining oil and butter to the skillet along with the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to color, a minute or two. Add the wine and the sage and cook, stirring, until all the elements are incorporated and the wine has been reduced by half. Add the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour the sauce over the meat, garnish, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.