I first tried "boujie" chicken hearts at some fancy restaurant down on Fairfax in 2019, they served only unusual cuts of meat. Dooder and I ordered a $13 plate of chicken hearts only to recieve a very tasty but very tiny plate of hearts. I wanted to be angrier because it was certainly a rip off, but they were so delicious it had me fired up to cook them myself and I found a love for chicken liver in the process too!
Lovely Lemon & Herb Chicken Hearts
Serves: 2–4 (as a side or small plate)
1 lb chicken hearts, cleaned and trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (plus zest from 1 lemon)
2–3 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
½ teaspoon chili flakes or black pepper (optional, for heat)
½ cup sweet yellow onion diced
Salt, to taste
1. Trim any fat or connective tissue from the chicken hearts. Halve then rinse and pat dry thoroughly.
2. In a bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, thyme, parsley, rosemary, chili flakes, and salt. Add the chicken hearts and mix well. (marinate in the fridgefor 30 min if desired)
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a touch of oil. Once hot, saute onions until fragrant and slightle translucent. Add the chicken hearts in a single layer, sear undisturbed for 2–3 minutes per side until browned and just cooked through- over cooking can make them tough
4. Drizzle with a little extra lemon juice and sprinkle fresh herbs just before serving. Goes great over rice!
Optional: Want it a bit saucier? After the hearts have cooked through set them aside and add a 1/4c ish of chicken broth and a pat or two of butter and let reduce down with the drippings!
Having a hard time finding chicken hearts? I have found them from time to time in a mix with gizzards (I have yet to find a cooking method I like for those) at my local grocery store, but you can always ask the butcher directly, I find that higher end butchers are more likely to have them on hand.
Would you try this recipe? Let me know if you do and if you are interested in other offal options!
Cheers,
Nurse Huckleberry
Summer is officially here and nothing is better than a delicious melon salad. This recipe is so addicting, sweet and savory, a little spicy and just so refreshing. Perfect for a picnic or on nights when it is just too hot to cook. You will want to scarf it down right away, but make a big batch so it has time to marinate in the fridge for the next day also, you'll thank me later!
Nurse's Favorite Savory Melon Salad
Serves: 4
3 cups cubed honeydew
½ small cucumber, thinly sliced
¼ small red onion thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fish sauce (or soy sauce for vegetarian)
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon honey (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon chili flakes (adjust to taste)
1 tablespoons roasted peanuts or cashews, chopped
¼ cup fresh herbs (cilantro, thai basil, mint or dill are good options, I like a blend)
Optional: 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, combine melon, cucumber, red onion, and herbs.
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In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey and chili flakes
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Pour dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat.
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Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, and more herbs. Season with salt and pepper!
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Serve immediately, or chill briefly to enhance the flavors.
Optional: A little fresh grated ginger gives great zip and depth of flavor!
Let me know if you give this a try! And feel free as always to measure with your heart, the measurements provided are just general guidelines.
Cheers,
Nurse Huckleberry
