No matter what its provenance, choose shiny, smooth, fine-grained and light-colored liver. If very dark, it may be from an old animal. The average portion is 100 to 125 g (3-4 oz.) per person. Liver should be used quickly, on the day it is bought, or within 24 hours if well refrigerated.

 Liver freezes well: pat the slices dry and wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place in freezer bags (heart can be frozen in the same way). It will keep for 5-6 months. The liver can be cooked on a grill or in a skillet without being thawed first, although it's better to thaw it in the refrigerator for several hours first.

 When well trimmed by the butcher, liver doesn't require any preparation.

The simplest cooking methods are best to preserve its flavor.

For a quick easy dish, take slices of heifer's, calf's or lamb's liver, sauté or grill them and serve with browned butter and a drizzle of vinegar, accompanied by steamed potatoes and sautéed mushrooms. You can also prepare it English-style with thin slices of bacon, Spanish-style on a bed of tomatoes and onions cooked in olive oil, or Lyon-style with slowly-cooked onions.

To stay tender, the liver should not be overcooked or seared too aggressively: 2-3 minutes per side should be enough so that it is still pink inside.

To keep the liver juicy, flour it lightly before pan-frying. Calf's or lamb's liver can replace chicken livers in a salad. Roasted whole in the oven or cooked in a Dutch oven, 15 minutes per pound, liver can make a lovely main course.

Beef liver, however, can benefit from long braising. Lard it, or serve it with a flavorful sauce. You can also add liver to terrines and pâtés to enrich their flavor.