Thermomix Chicken Livers with Dukkah

This recipe has evolved from a dish that I was served at a restaurant in Castlemaine (Victoria), called The Globe, many years ago. The meal was memorable for the antics of the owner/waiters and the chicken livers that I had as an appetiser while thinking about what to have for the main part of the meal.

The chicken livers had been cooked perfectly and the sauce/seasoning accompanying them made them even more delicious. I asked the waiter to let the chef know that they were superb. As the waiter returned to the kitchen with the plate I could hear him call out to the chef - "Alright on the livers". Glad I'm not a chef relying on feedback.

You don't need a Thermomix to make the dukkah, nor do you need one to cook the livers, but since I have one I used it to do both.

The combination of chicken livers and dukkah is great and I have made a dip along the lines of chicken liver pate with finely milled dukkah.

There is a recipe for a terrine of chicken livers pressed with dukkah in Greg & Lucy Malouf's book "Arabesque"

It would be good to try a lightly cooked egg with the livers and dukkah too.

Chicken Livers with Dukkah

Dukkah - adapted from "Everyday Cooking for Every Family"

Ingredients:

100g white sesame seeds
70g hazelnuts
40g coriander seeds
25g cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp za'atar or dried thyme

Method:

Place the sesame seeds, hazelnuts, coriander and cumin seeds into the TM bowl and dry roast for 10 minutes at 100°C on speed 1.

Remove lid and allow to cool. Once the mixture has cooled, replace lid and set dial to closed lid position and pulse 2 or 3 times with Turbo button to produce a coarse powder - as seen in picture.

Keep in airtight container and refrigerate what you don't use.

Chicken livers

Ingredients:

250ml oil, olive or vegetable
500g chicken livers, trimmed of veins and cut into roughly 5cm pieces
100ml port, sweet sherry, marsala or Madeira

Method:

Place oil into TM bowl and heat for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 1.

Position butterfly on blades and carefully add chicken livers to the TM bowl. Cook for 4 minutes at Varoma temperature on reverse + speed soft. Check after 2 minutes - you may need to move some of the livers around to ensure even cooking.

Once the livers have changed colour on the outside they should be OK. It is best not to overcook them, they should be pink inside. Drain the livers using the basket and place onto absorbent paper on a plate that fits in the Varoma. Place plate in Varoma and set aside.

Quickly rinse TM bowl and put Madeira (or other) into TM bowl, position lid and Varoma and reduce the port for 5 minutes at Varoma temperature on speed 3.

Place livers on warmed plate, cover with the reduced sauce and then sprinkle with dukkah.