Love That Liver!
I was once in a Jewish deli where I overheard the Italian owner and a Black customer discussing the merits of chopped liver made with schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) rather than something like canola oil. Even though liver is not one of the more popular food items, I am always amazed to hear how many people love chopped liver! Ahead of the upcoming holidays, I decided to include my recipe in this past week’s Berkshire Eagle column.
WHAT AM I, CHOPPED LIVER?
by Elizabeth Baer
I never quite understood that saying. Said with the correct Yiddish inflection, it means something like, “Don’t you think I’m worthy of more attention?” meaning that chopped liver would get less attention than other items on the table. But I love chopped liver! In fact, I’ve always liked liver. When I was a baby, my mother used to tell me, she would go to the meat counter at the small Gristede’s market that was around the corner from the entrance to our building, and buy one fresh chicken liver at a time, which she would feed to me with the tiniest portion of instant mashed potatoes and my grandmother’s homemade applesauce.
With the Jewish holidays coming up, many families will gather for a special meal. Whether it’s for the Rosh Hashanah dinner or even with Yom Kippur, the holiday that commands us to fast, for the meal the night before or the break fast the next day after sunset this is a delicious addition to the holiday table.
Mind you, this is no fancy chicken liver mousse with cognac, nor an elegant pâté de campagne studded with pistachios, both of which I also adore and make from time to time. This is the spread that evokes a visceral, loving food memory for so many, of meals spent with grandparents and extended family, that reaches back generations. Most recently I served it at Passover, and even one young guest, with much trepidation, ventured to try something including liver, and he declared it delicious!
But don’t wait for a holiday to try it! It also freezes well, especially if you have a vacuum sealer or, if not, try to have as little air in the container or freezer bag as possible.
CHOPPED LIVER
Makes 2-3 cups, depending on preferred consistency
INGREDIENTS:
2-3 tablespoons schmaltz (rendered chicken fat, available in most supermarkets with the kosher meats) or olive or canola oil
1 large onion, about 10-12 ounces, cut into half moons
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1 pound chicken livers, patted dry
Several grinds fresh black pepper
¼ cup chicken broth, plus more as needed
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
Melt the schmaltz in a medium or large sauté pan over medium high heat (or heat oil until shimmering). Add onions, sprinkle with salt and sauté until deeply golden and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes.
Place the livers with one side down into the pan. You can try to clear the onions out of the way for each piece of liver, but it’s not terribly important. Some of the livers can be on top of pieces of onion. Sprinkle with the pepper, and cook on one side without moving for 2-3 minutes. Turn the livers and cook other side for 2 minutes more. Check for doneness by cutting thickest one in half. If it doesn’t look fully cooked, continue to cook for another 2 minutes and check again. Pour the chicken broth into the pan, and use a spoon to scrape up and browned bits that have stuck to the pan. Let the liquid reduce, but keep an eye on it, because if it reduces too much, pieces will begin to stick again. Remove from the heat.
Put liver mixture and hard-boiled eggs in food processor and pulse to chop to desired consistency. Some people like more texture (as do I), while others prefer a fully puréed product, which will require more time in the food processor. A mini food processor works fine, but you will need to do this in two batches and then combine in a bowl.
Cover and allow to cool fully in the refrigerator. Be sure to take out of the refrigerator in time to take the chill off a bit. Temperature affects the seasoning, so taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking before serving.