Liver

The tanginess of the homemade pickled eggs (they're easy!) balances the richness of the chicken liver. Timing note: Begin making the eggs at least one day ahead.

Rosemary does something splendid for chicken livers, and using sprigs of the herb as skewers perfumes the livers while they cook gently in butter. The unexpected bite of peppery radishes is a stroke of genius—thinly sliced, then tossed quickly in the pan butter and lemon juice, they help offset the richness of the dish.

This comforting dish marries the simplicity of meatloaf with the flavor and depth of a French pâté. Leftover slices naturally make terrific sandwiches, but they're also wonderful panfried in olive oil.

Anna Di Bene, Oltranti's grandmother, never let anything go to waste in her kitchen in Lucca, Italy. Whenever she cooked chicken, she saved the livers for this delicious antipasto. Spicy red-pepper flakes and salty capers cut through the richness of the topping.

In these spectacular cocktail-ring-proportioned bites, the date purée gives surprising depth to the silky richness of foie gras. Add pomegranate seeds—a gorgeous garnet crown—for a burst of sour-sweet juice and a little crunch.

We gave the old liver-and-onions routine a contemporary twist with mild scallions and crisp pancetta. Sherry-butter sauce adds finesse and roundness of flavor.

These little stacks of toasted and buttered bread, foie gras terrine, and Sauternes gelée—crisp, creamy, cool—will make you swoon and sigh. They provide such a rich reward for so simple an assembly: The only thing you make from scratch is the gelée; it’s like a sip of dessert wine on top of this extraordinary first bite.

Chopping by hand or using a meat grinder will preserve the homemade, chunky texture of this traditional chopped liver.

A great way to use the liver from your Thanksgiving turkey. (The turkey liver alone won't be enough—you'll have to mix in a few chicken livers.)

The Russian version of pierogies, pirozhki are small turnovers that are baked rather than boiled. Their savory, rich mushroom-and-liver filling packs a big punch within a crisp little pastry.

Even if you love dark meat, you won't be disappointed with this easy alternative to serving a whole turkey. Roasting the turkey breast at high heat for a short time locks in tons of meaty juice, and the filling combines stuffing and cranberry sauce in one dish. Pan juices, whisked together with apple cider, top it all off.

Although this dish may sound unusual, it turns out that the sweetness of grapes and caramelized onions makes for a delicious alliance with aromatic rosemary and rich chicken livers.

Terrine de Campagne The straightforward character of this terrine reminds us of the words of Richard Olney, an influential American cookbook writer and editor who rusticated in the French countryside for almost 50 years. "A simple terrine," he wrote in his Simple French Food, "is never so good as when prepared in the easiest possible way, all of the ingredients of the composition mixed, pell-mell but intimately, together."

Helene Cypress of Franklin Square, New York, writes: "My grandson loves this family favorite and always asks for it. I usually end up making extra to share with other guests and neighbors."

Anatra Ripiena This is virtuoso trattoria cooking; not modest, certainly, but authentic. What to drink: A reserve Chianti. Try: Fontodi Chianti Riserva.

Larry Leichtman of Phoenix, Arizona, writes: "Thirteen years ago, I sold my business in Los Angeles and moved to Phoenix. One of the first things my neighbors discovered about me was that I love to cook. We get together often, and I'm usually the one in the kitchen. Being the cook means never having to do the dishes." Serve with crackers or baguette rounds.

The mashed sweet potatoes with sage butter are a great side dish for calf's liver. We recommend asking the butcher for the freshest calf's liver available, since it can vary in quality. Soaking the liver in milk, a method typically used for pork liver, helps soften and mellow its flavor.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This is a great way to use the liver from your Thanksgiving turkey. In this recipe simply substitute the turkey liver for some of the chicken livers.