Salzburg's sweet souffle: the city knows the sound of music and the shape of dessert - includes recipe

Sunset, June, 1999 by Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

MAKES: 4 servings

8 slices (about 2/3 lb.) thick-cut bacon

1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/2 to 3/4 pound calf's liver, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2 red onions (1 lb. total), peeled and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 cup minced parsley

About 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Salt and pepper

1. In a 10- by 15-inch rimmed pan, lay bacon slices side by side.

2. Bake in a 350 [degrees] oven for 15 minutes. Drain and save fat.

3. Mix sugar and lemon peel. With your fingers, evenly pat mixture onto bacon slices, covering completely.

4. Return pan to oven and bake until bacon is well browned, 12 to 15 minutes. With a wide spatula, transfer bacon to a rack; scrape sugar drippings from pan and put on bacon.

5. Meanwhile, rinse liver, pat dry, and trim off and discard any tough membrane. Cut liver into 4 equal portions.

6. In a 10- to 12-inch nonstick frying pan, combine onions, lemon juice, and butter. Stir over high heat until onions are limp and slightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add parsley and stir until wilted. Mound onions on an ovenproof platter; arrange bacon in a single layer alongside. Put in a 150 [degrees] oven. Wipe frying pan clean.

7. Set frying pan over high heat and add reserved bacon fat. Coat liver with flour, shaking off excess. When fat is hot, add liver. Brown on each side, turning as needed until just barely pink in center (cut to test), about 5 minutes total. Drain liver briefly on towels, then add to platter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 394 cal., 48% (189 cal.) from fat; 20 g protein; 21 g fat (8.7g sat.); 33 g carbo (2.5 g fiber); 469 mg sodium; 210 mg chol.

Cheese whiz

If you enjoy the delicate, short-lived flavors of really fresh mozzarella and ricotta as much as I do, the cheese kit from the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company is for you. Included are vegetable rennet tablets, citric acid, and other supplies for about 20 batches, each of which uses 1 gallon of milk to produce about 3/4 pound of cheese.

Order the kit ($19.95, plus $4.75 shipping) from the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company, Box 85, Ashfield, MA 01330; (413) 628-3808 or www.cheesemaking.com.

The perfect partner for fresh homemade mozzarella is homegrown tomatoes. Since those in my garden aren't ready yet, I've been using the vine-ripened tomatoes from Mexico in my supermarket. On a recent trip to Sinaloa, I saw them being fastidiously grown, harvested, and packed to meet FDA and USDA standards. The Mexican-grown tomatoes bring garden-fresh flavor to a classic summer combo: Tomatoes and fresh mozzarella salad. Alternate layers of sliced tomatoes and fresh whole-milk mozzarella on a platter, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper.