• ¼ cup sun-dried tart cherries
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 6 ounces thick-cut bacon (4–6 strips), cut crosswise into ½-inch-wide strips
• 2 cups thinly sliced onions
• 1 cup thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts)
• ½ cup thinly sliced shallots
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup thinly sliced scallion whites (reserve greens)
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ pounds sliced calf’s liver (about ½ inch thick slices), outer membranes and any veins and sinew removed
• 1 tablespoon butter, or more as needed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or more as needed
• 1 cup homemade beef or veal stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup thinly sliced scallion greens

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the cherries, white wine, and vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until nicely browned and just turning crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave about ¼ cup bacon fat in the pan. Add the onions, leeks, and shallots. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Cover and cook until golden, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Add the scallion whites and cook for 1 minute more. Pour in the cherries and all their liquid and cook until the liquid is reduced by half and becomes syrupy. Stir in the sage and reserved bacon and set aside.
4. Combine the flour with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a pie tin or shallow bowl. One at a time, dredge each slice of liver to coat on both sides, shaking off any excess, and lay the slices in a single layer on a plate.
5. Heat the butter and oil in a large, preferably nonstick, skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the liver slices in batches, for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until nicely browned but the interior is pink when you cut into a slice to test. As the slices are done, transfer them to a platter. Add more butter and oil as needed.
6. Add the stock and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce until the liquid just becomes syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add the “lily” mixture to the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the liver and heat just to warm through, 1 to 2 minutes. Arrange the liver slices on the platter, spoon over the vegetables and sauce, garnish with the scallion greens, and serve.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS:

• Beef liver or lamb’s livers, which have a slightly stronger flavor.
• If you can find bison liver, it has great flavor.
• If liver isn’t your thing, you can use veal or pork cutlets, cut ¼ inch thick.

COOK’S NOTE:

• If dried cherries are too expensive, use the same amount of dried apricots, cut into ¼-inch strips, or use dried cranberries.
• Because the bacon is a major part of the flavoring for this dish, buy the best you can.