We can thank Vic Bergeron — owner of Trader Vic's restaurant, in San Francisco — for bringing rumaki into mainstream dining culture. He claimed that this delicious hors d'oeuvre came from Hawaii, with Chinese roots and a Japanese name.

　　Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

　　

Ingredients

Makes 24 hors d'oeuvres

　　1/4 lb chicken livers, trimmed and rinsed

　　1/4 cup soy sauce

　　1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger

　　2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

　　1/2 teaspoon curry powder

　　12 canned water chestnuts, drained and halved horizontally

　　8 bacon slices (1/2 pound), cut crosswise into thirds

　　

Special Equipment

24 wooden toothpicks

　　

Step 1

Cut chicken livers into 24 (roughly 1/2-inch) pieces. Stir together soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, and curry powder. Add livers and water chestnuts and toss to coat. Marinate, covered and chilled, 1 hour.

　　

Step 2

While livers marinate, soak toothpicks in cold water 1 hour. Drain well.

　　

Step 3

Preheat broiler.

　　

Step 4

Remove livers and chestnuts from marinade and discard marinade. Place 1 piece of bacon on a work surface and put 1 piece of liver and 1 chestnut in center. Wrap bacon around liver and chestnut and secure with a toothpick. Make 23 more rumaki in same manner.

　　

Step 5

Broil rumaki on rack of a broiler pan 2 inches from heat, turning once, until bacon is crisp and livers are cooked but still slightly pink inside (unwrap 1 to check for doneness), 5 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately.