Liver

We adapted this recipe from one in D'artagnan's Glorious Game Cookbook, by Ariane Daguin, George Faison, and Joanna Pruess. In her cookbook, Daguin sticks to the traditional French method and cooks foie gras to 120°F, although the USDA recommends cooking foie gras to an internal temperature of 160°F to be sure any harmful bacteria are killed. We tried both methods and prefer Daguin's; to our tastes, it yielded the perfect degree of doneness. However, we've included both options in the procedure. Whole foie gras can vary in size (goose liver tends to be larger than duck). If your foie gras differs from the recipe by more than half a pound, increase or decrease the size of the terrine, the weight (see "special equipment," below), and the seasonings accordingly. If you don't have an oval terrine, you could use a ceramic soufflé dish or a glass loaf pan that's just large enough for the foie gras to fit in snugly. Note that a foie gras terrine is supposed to have a layer of fat—it may look a bit odd, but it's actually quite delicious.

Serve this dish, from chef Matthew Reichel, with potato pancakes or rice pilaf.

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

Gulyássuppe Hotel Bristol The liver in this recipe enriches the stew without adding any distinct flavor that might be objectionable to those who don't care for liver.

Fegato alla Veneziana The keys to success with this classic Venetian dish are to slice the liver and onions very thin and to work rapidly to avoid overcooking. A nice accompaniment is soft polenta.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 3 3/4 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Forget the usual chopped liver. This rustic appetizer is an Italian treat. Spiedini are skewers of any combination of foods — bread, cheeses, meatballs, fish — that can be grilled or roasted.

Make this spicy rigatoni your new go-to Sunday sauce. The meaty sauce has a host of flavor enhancers not often found in traditional sugos. 

Cooking the livers to medium/medium-rare in this recipe is key to a moist and rich tasting spread. Overcooking them will make the finished dish dry and crumbly.