Chicken Livers with Mushrooms

Use either fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms for this impressive but easy to make chicken stir-fry. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

8 ounces (250 g) fresh shiitake mushrooms or 3 1/2 ounces (100 g) dried mushrooms
Boiling water for dried mushrooms
1 pound (500 g) chicken livers
2 teaspoons cornflour
Pinch of salt
Freshly milled pepper
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
2 tablespoons medium sherry
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 medium onion
11 ounces (345 g) small zucchini
1/4 cup sunflower or corn oil
1 ounce (30 g) blanched almonds, cut into slivers
1/3 cup chicken stock

Method:

1. Wipe fresh mushrooms clean with soft cloth or absorbent kitchen paper. Cut into thin strips. If using dried mushrooms, put into bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 30 minutes. Drain and wipe dry. Cut into strips, discarding stems.
2. Wash and dry livers. (See step-by-step instructions here). Cut into small pieces and toss with cornflour in bowl.
3. Make marinade by mixing together salt, pepper, sugar, sherry and soy sauce. Mix marinade into livers, cover and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
4. Peel and halve onion. Cut each half into thin slices. Top and tail zucchini and slice very thinly with sharp knife or on side of grater.
5. Heal oil in wok until hot, but not smoking. Add almonds and stir-fry until just beginning to brown, watching carefully as they quickly burn. Add onion, zucchini and mushrooms and stir-fry for 5 minutes. Remove from wok with draining spoon and put into bowl.
6. Lift livers out of marinade. Add to remaining oil in wok. Stir-fry briskly for 3 minutes. Mix in vegetables and almonds. Add stock and marinade. Bring to boil, then simmer for 1 minute. Adjust seasoning to taste.
7. Serve with rice or vermicelli noodles.