Tea and Anise-Flavored Chicken Livers

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds fresh chicken livers
• 3 ½ quarts water
• ½ cup China black tea leaves tied in a square of cheesecloth
• ¼ cup rice wine
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 4 whole star anise
• 6 slices fresh ginger root, peeled

6 servings

Preparation

1. Lightly rinse the chicken livers, drain thoroughly and separate the lobes.
2. Heat two quarts of water until boiling and blanch the livers for about two minutes. Drain.
3. In a heavy saucepan combine the remaining 1 1/2 quarts of water with the tea leaves, rice wine and soy sauce. Lightly smash the anise and ginger root with the side of a cleaver and add them. Simmer this mixture for 20 minutes.
4. Add the chicken livers and once the mixture returns to a simmer cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the chicken livers to cool in the liquid.
5. Remove the cooled livers from the cooking liquid and slice them thin. Serve cold or at room temperature on slices of toast or in a salad.