This is my own special recipe. Although an adobo isn't normally too saucy, I'd say the sauce is what makes this version a whole lot better!
The taste is closer to Humba than Adobo, mainly because of the added aromatics. Humba is a portmanteau of the words "Humot" (fragrant) and "Baboy" (pork) which makes it a leveled-up version of adobo because of the added spices.
Since this is chicken and not pork, calling it Humba would create confusion. Hunger and confusion is a terrible combo, so let's keep it simple!
Yesterday my gf ordered chicken liver adobo for lunch at our favorite eatery. I told her I only eat chicken liver if I cook it myself.
Most chicken liver adobos are cooked pale or soupy. I'd like them dark brown in soy sauce and balance the bitter taste with some heat, acid, sweet-and-saltiness.
I told her this is one of my best dishes and that I'd cook her one someday. I couldn't wait. I whipped up a chicken liver adobo this morning.
INGREDIENTS
- Chicken Liver with heart (optional)
- Soy sauce
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Brown Sugar
- Leeks
- Black peppercorns
- Garlic and Onion (chopped)
- Garlic and Onion Powder
- Bay leaves
- Star Anise
- Water
- Oil
- Flour
I cooked half a kilo of chicken livers which is good for 3 small servings.
STEPS
Sautee onion first then garlic second. This is to keep the garlic from burning and minimizing the overall bitterness.
Add your washed chicken offals. Fry until juices are rendered and the color is darker (but not burnt). Turn the pieces occasionally.
Add soy sauce and vinegar. I normally eyeball this thing and add more vinegar according to taste. But if you aren't very familiar with any adobo dish, you'd like to keep the ratio to around 3:1, vinegar being lesser than soy sauce. I'd say for this dish I have added 6 tbsp of soy sauce and 2 tbsp vinegar.
Add anise and bay leaf, one piece each. You don't want to overdo this as both can be overpowering.
Add peppercorns.
Let everything simmer until the offals are tender. Once one of the liver pieces is easy to crush when pressed with a spoon, you know it's ready for next step.
Crush one of the liver pieces until it turns into a liver pate consistency. You may do this in the pan while it's cooking or in a separate bowl.
Add the liver pate to the adobi and stir. You'd want this liver paste to add more depth and texture to the sauce.
Dissolve 3 tbsp brown sugar, garlic and onion powder in 1/2 cup of water and add to the adobo. Let it simmer.
Mix water and flour to create a roux. Once fully mixed, pour it on the adobo under low heat and mix everything thoroughly.
The liver paste will settle below the liquid sauce, which makes it soupy. To create a better sauce texture, you'd want to suspend these crushed liver pieces by thickening the sauce.
Most people would prefer corn starch over flour for thickening. Flour gives the sauce a more gravy texture instead of a glossy and sticky one that's comparable to a Chinese egg drop.
Once cooked, garnish with fresh chopped leeks on top and enjoy!
This chicken liver adobo is a rich and savory dish that pairs well with rice.
If you love this dish and you like the freedom of eyeball-style cooking, leave me a comment or follow 😍
Hey, I'm Jan Writes ✍️
I express my art through writing and cooking. I love to feed the world with good food and good words.
I write about all sorts of things. I don't have a niche. I write about everything. I also take pictures of my travels, although I'm not a huge traveler myself. I'm more of an Urban Hiker and I enjoy taking pictures of people and places.