The war bar It opened its doors in 1954 under the leadership of Miguel Guerra and his wife, and for decades it was one of those taverns where wine was poured and stews were prepared without a clock. A handful of specialties – … Livers, tripe, Menudo, a few fries were enough to fill the room with customers every lunchtime.
Over the years, the bar has become a local institution. And in 2021, Luis Miguel Menor and César Morales, The same people behind the successful La Milla restaurant have decided to reopen it. They have done it with respect and affection, preserving its essence as a neighborhood bar but giving it a second life: fresh products, attentive service and a menu that changes daily, without losing the original soul.
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Facade of Bar Guerra
Livers: a classic that we don’t touch
Among all his tapas, Guerra-style chicken livers They still constitute the local flag. A humble dish, one of the traditional dishes, but which continues to conquer.
“It’s a simple recipe, but with its own tricks,” explains the kitchen team. “You have to clean the livers well, blanch them for a few minutes in vinegared water so that they lose the impurities, then simmer them with a sherry wine sauce”
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Cesar Morales and Luismi Menor
Step by step
The preparation start by boiling the livers in boiling water with a little vinegar. This gesture, which seems minor, is essential: it helps to fix its texture and eliminate excess blood.
Then, in a large frying pan, the base is prepared: extra virgin olive oil, garlic, bay leaf, onion and peppers (red and green) chopped very finely, which are slowly poached until almost caramelized.
At this point blanched livers are added, Increase the heat and pour in a good splash of sherry wine or, better yet, an Oloroso. When the alcohol evaporates, let the stew cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens and the livers are tender.
The last part, the simplest, but no less important: adjust salt and pepper and serve them hot, with a good piece of bread on the side to enjoy the sauce.
The secret of war
The secret has nothing to do with modern techniques or impossible ingredients. The secret lies in the honesty of the stew, not being in a hurry and using good wine. “The vinegar at the beginning and the flavor at the end make the difference. And especially the kitchen aspect,” they explain.
A tapa which, despite the passage of time and the change of hands, continues to have the same taste as in the fifties: home cooking.
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Recipe Ingredients
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• 500 g of clean chicken livers
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• 1 little vinegar
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• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
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• 1 bay leaf
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• ½ chopped onion
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• ½ chopped green pepper
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• ½ chopped red pepper
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• 1 good dash of white sherry wine or Oloroso wine
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• Salt and pepper to taste
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• Extra virgin olive oil
Elaboration:
1. Blanch livers:
In a saucepan with plenty of boiling water and a little vinegar, blanch the chicken livers for a few minutes.
Remove and quickly cool under cold or ice running water to stop cooking. Reserve.
2. Prepare the base:
In a large pan with a little olive oil, brown (sauté over low heat) the garlic as well as the bay leaf, onion and finely chopped peppers.
Cook until the vegetables are well poached and fragrant.
3. Add the livers:
Add the blanched livers to the sauce and increase the heat slightly.
Pour in a good splash of white sherry wine or Oloroso wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
4. Cook and adjust:
Cook over medium heat until the livers are tender and the sauce has reduced and mixed well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve:
Serve hot, accompanied by fresh bread to enjoy the sauce.
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