Grilled Chicken Livers on Rosemary Skewers

How to prepare grilled chicken livers on rosemary skewers

1. Wash the livers in several changes of water until the water stays clean. Drain then cover with milk and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Drain the milk, wash the livers again. Pat dry with paper towels to dry them well. Separate the livers into their two lobes.
2. Sprinkle them with sea salt, freshly ground pepper, chili to taste, cumin. Add the crushed garlic and oil. Mix well to coat the livers with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (but they can stay overnight).
3. In a mortar, crush the basil leaves with a little coarse salt. Add the butter and mix with the pestle until the butter has a uniform green color. Wrap the butter in foil and keep refrigerated until needed.
   * For larger quantities you can blend the butter and basil in a food processor.
4. Strip the rosemary sprigs of their leaves, leaving a few at the tip. Sharpen the tips of the rosemary stems (as if sharpening a pencil).
   * The stripped leaves can be kept in the freezer for other recipes
5. Thread 4 pieces of liver onto each rosemary sprig. Wrap the rosemary tips in aluminum foil so they don't burn on the grill.
7. Heat a grill pan very well (about 5 minutes over high heat, with no added fat). Reduce heat to medium-low.
   
8. Place the skewers in the pan without crowding. Grill for 5-6 minutes per side. When time is up, check one in the middle: it should be pink but no blood should gush out, then it's perfect; if you leave them longer and they become gray in the center, the livers won't have good texture (they become dry) or good taste (they get that specific liver taste). If you don't overcook them the center texture is creamy and tasty, like chicken pâté 😉
9. Remove the skewers to a platter and add pieces of basil butter on top. Cover with aluminum foil and let rest for a few minutes. When you remove the foil, squeeze lemon juice over the livers.
   
10. Serve the warm skewers with lemon wedges and grilled pita.

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