CHOPPED LIVER

PASSOVER FOODS AND RECIPES

Chopped liver is part of most Jewish people’s upbringing. My two grandmothers made their chopped liver a little differently from each other, but both were tasty. This recipe combines the best of each. Chopped liver is a developed taste, but to get the full Jewish experience at Passover, we recommend you at least try a little bit on a piece of matzah.

Ingredients:

1½ pounds chicken livers, trimmed

3 eggs

1 large onion, sliced

2 tablespoons chicken schmaltz^* (or 2 tablespoon olive oil)

2 tablespoons Kiddush wine, brandy, or chicken stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

^*Chicken schmaltz (SHMALTZ) is rendered chicken fat.

Instructions:

Hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes, drain, and set aside.
In a sauté pan, cook the onions on low heat until a nice golden brown color appears. Remove from the pan and let cool on a paper towel.
Add wine and chicken schmaltz to the sauté pan and bring to simmer on medium heat.
Add the livers and cook for 5 minutes or until the livers are firm to the touch.
Pour mixture into a food processor and mix until the ingredients come together, but not too smooth.
Scrape mixture into a bowl.
Grate the eggs and add to the bowl. Then add the onions and mix together.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate overnight and serve the next day.

To make chicken schmaltz:

Take the spare fat from a raw chicken. This can be done by removing the skin and fat from chicken thighs and cutting into strips.
Cook on low heat in a sauté pan with 2 sticks (8 ounces) of butter for 60 to 90 minutes until all fat has been rendered gently out of the chicken skin.
Remove skin from pan and drain on paper towels to form gribenes (Yiddish for “cracklings”).
Pour the fat (schmaltz^†) into a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

^†The schmaltz (fat) will keep for up to 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge if stored correctly with a lid.