Place chicken livers in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes. This helps to flush them and tame their flavour. Rinse with fresh water and place on a paper towel to dry. Cut into bite-size pieces and discard any connective tissue - the pinky white stringy bits.
500 g chicken livers free ranged and cleaned
Make the sauce by adding butter and oil to a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook on medium high heat until soft and golden about 7 to 10 minutes do not brown
3 tbls of butter, 2 tbls olive oil, 2 onions finely chopped
Add garlic and chili and stir for a further one minute
5 garlic cloves, 3 red chilies
Now add tomato paste and cook for three minutes until it's a deep rusty colour, intensifying the flavours of the onion and garlic and creating a Sofrito base for the sauce.
2 tbls tomato paste
Deglaze the pan with the wine and zest & lemon juice.
200 ml white wine, ½ lemon -juice and zest
Add sugar and the tomatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes for the sauce to thicken and the flavours to meld. As on alternative option, use an stick blender to blitz half the sauce and give a smoother texture or leave for a more chunky sauce.
½ tsp sugar, 1 tin chopped tomatoes
In a cast iron pan add the coconut oil and heat to a very hot temperature. Season the chicken livers with the Portuguese chicken spice, salt and pepper. Place half the chicken livers in the hot pan and cook for about three minutes aside ensuring they are still pink inside. Set aside on a plate until the Peri Peri source has thickened.
2 tbls coconut oil, ½ teaspoon Portuguese chicken spice
To the sauce, add the cream, pesto and Nando's Peri Peri sauce stir through and then add the chicken livers and any juices they may have seeped out whilst resting. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper and extra chilli if needed
125 ml cream, 2 tbls pesto or shredded basil leaves, 100 ml Nando mild Peri Peri sauce optional, Extra chili to taste
Serve with a bowl of penne pasta, Portuguese rolls and a big table salad.
To bulk up the dish you can also add chopped red and yellow peppers.
