Higado de pollo con higos y vino de Oporto - chicken livers in fig and port wine sauce

There it is - always on my mind. I find myself thinking of it several times a day. Food, that is. Even when I'm not cooking or eating (yes, even I do have those moments!). My head, Blogger's draft list and obscure lists I've scribbled on the pages of my trusty, battered notebook (hello, year 2014!) are full of things to buy and try. This is a fine example - it's been dangling on my "to do"- list since Benalmadena Pueblo's fería last summer!

Luckily the dish itself only takes about 15 minutes to make it from your head onto your plate. And it is easy. And it is good. And I mean really good. Merrily defying the orders of her personal trainer (equipped with massive biceps and Goebbels-like approachable charm) Tzatziki Champion actually had some bread (yes! The kind made of wheat and gluten and carbs!)  to wipe off every last drop of the sauce. I didn't fare much better - I pinched The Boy Next Door's plate to lick the last spoonfuls of his... Caring is sharing, people! Now go and share!

Rosemary oil that I initially made for those prosciutto, pear and brie pizzas has turned out to be such a gold mine that I find new uses for it every day. So, in case you haven't yet made your own - get cracking. I'll promise you won't get enough of it!

As a starter/ tapa this feeds 4

600 g chicken livers

1 red onion

2 dl port wine

1 dl stock

1 dl fig preserve

2 sprigs of rosemary

1/2 tbsp butter

pinch of ground allspice or cloves

salt, pepper

For frying: rosemary oil (for recipe see here)

To serve: Salad leaves, fresh, ripe figs, rest of the red onion cut into thin rings, roasted onion crumbs

Trim the livers if needed. Cut the bigger chunks in half so all are even size. Pat them dry. Heat some rosemary oil in a pan, add 1/2 of the red onion finely chopped and a little while later the livers. Fry until nicely browned. Try not to poke them around too much as this means not getting that wonderful crust. Then pour in rest of the ingredients (apart from butter) and continue cooking for  little while longer until liver is still rosé in the middle. Using a slotted spoon remove the livers and set aside. Reduce the sauce over high heat until it thickens. Remove the rosemary sprigs, add butter, season and drizzle all over the chicken livers.

In the name of any authenticity you could use sherry instead of port. In that case go for the dark, toasty sweet kind - Oloroso that I used for those Spanish mussels for instance would be too dry and acidic.

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ANYONE FOR SECONDS?