Not too long ago (in blog time, anyway), we started a culinary tour of the western RPG Red Dead Redemption 2 with three entrees to pair with a simple side dish of peas and potatoes. The first dish (last post) was for some blackened catfish from the bayou region of Lemoyne.
Next up, we drive northwest to the sheep and cattle-ranching plains of New Hanover and stop at Valentine’s Smithfield Saloon for some Lamb’s Fry!
Click here to skip to the recipe for Valentine Lamb’s Fry.
Valentine Vittles
The plains of New Hanover feature good hunting and perfect grounds for raising livestock. And with Valentine’s train station and livestock auction yard, Smithfield’s Saloon is the ideal place for any cowboy, ranchhand, or trader looking to stop and spend their extra money after a long drive.
And spend money, they certainly do! Between the booze and pleasurable company, you’ll want a hearty meal to settle all that indulgence. Beef Stew is delicious. But Lamb’s Fry will help lessen that future hangover. And trust me, if you drink like Arthur Morgan did that one night in Valentine, you’ll need every bite!
The only catch, though? Lamb’s Fry is liver. Believe it or not, the herd of amino acids and vitamins contained in the liver works well to counteract the effects of last night’s poor decisions. The name implies a lamb’s liver, but most recipes (and grocery store availability) call for a calf’s liver. Fried in butter, garlic, and bacon, this dish rewards the patient cook willing to look past unconventional textures.
Plus, once you toss that in a homemade gravy with fresh mint and oregano, you’ll be more focused on scarfing down the next bite than thinking about what it took to get it.
Sing for Your Supper!
If you plan to cook the recipe off the site, keep scrolling. However, while access to recipes on the blog will always be free, I also have printable PDF recipe cards and thematic cook-along Spotify playlists as rewards for those who choose to support the blog.
The printable recipe card and playlist for this Valentine Lamb’s Fry inspired by Red Dead Redemption 2 will be available as a $2 donor reward on my Ko-Fi page until the next post goes up. After that, just the card will be available in my Ko-Fi shop.
-OR-
You can instead join my Patreon community at the “Sing for your Supper” level ($1/month) for access to the playlists or the “It’s All in the Cards” level ($5/month) or higher for access to ALL of my blog recipe cards and playlists. To get you started, patrons of all reward tiers receive a welcome gift of my Lord of the Rings recipe cards and playlists from January 2019.
I Have a Plan
Valentine Lamb's Fry
Equipment: Stovetop, cast iron skillet, cutting board, kitchen knife, and slotted spoon.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lamb or calves’ liver, skinned, sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves of garlic, smashed
- 4 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1.5 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped mint
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano
- 2 Tb tomato paste
- 1 Tb unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- kosher salt
Instructions:
- Dredge the liver in flour and set aside.
- Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, then add the butter. When melted, add the liver. Cook for 5 minutes while browning on all sides before removing from the pan with a slotted spoon.
- Add the bacon to the pan and cook until crispy. Remove with the slotted spoon, then add the onion and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook until softened, then add the garlic. Stir for about 30-60 seconds.
- Deglaze the pan with broth and scrape up the browned bits. Return the bacon and liver to the pan and stir in half of the herbs. Let simmer until reduced by half.
- Blend in the tomato paste and a few pinches of kosher salt to taste. Stir cook until thickened.
- Scoop lamb’s fry onto plates and garnish with the remaining herbs before serving with side dishes.
