Authentic Deli Style Chopped Liver Food

TRADITIONAL JEWISH CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Bring small saucepan of water with eggs to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and set the timer for 9 minutes. Once timer has gone off, plunge eggs under cold water and cool completely. Peel and set aside. Cook onion in a sauté pan, with 2 tablespoons of schmaltz, over medium heat until medium golden brown and very soft. Add chicken livers and stir to combine. Turn off heat and add brandy and thyme. Turn heat on low (be careful as the brandy might ignite) and cook until all brandy has been absorbed or evaporated. Remove thyme and process mixture plus remaining schmaltz in food processor until creamy and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer liver to a decorative bowl or platter and chill at least 1 hour. Garnish as desired and serve with matzo or thinly sliced rye bread. If you can't find kashered chicken livers see how it's done:

CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Prepare schmaltz and gribenes ahead of time, or purchase schmaltz from your local kosher market. Goose fat or duck fat can be used in place of schmaltz if desired. Prepare the livers by cutting off any tough pieces or stringy tendons. You should also cut away any pieces of liver that look discolored, yellow or strange. This is pretty much the worst prep job ever, as uncooked liver has a soft and slimy texture, so make sure this step is done by someone with a strong stomach.
• Add 2 tbsp schmaltz or oil into a large cast iron or nonstick skillet and melt over medium heat. Put half of the chicken livers into the skillet and fry them for 3 minutes on each side (about 6 minutes total). Season the livers generously with salt and pepper as they are cooking. *Note: If you plan to kosher your chicken livers by broiling them prior to making chopped liver, you will only need to sauté them in the skillet for about 1 minute on each side. Koshering the livers cooks them, so there is no need to sauté them for a long period of time. Be careful not to overcook or burn the livers, or they will become dry.
• After cooking, livers should be firm and browned on the outside while slightly pink on the inside. They will continue to cook internally after you remove them from the skillet; don't overcook them, or they will turn dry. When the livers are brown and firm, pour them into a medium-size mixing bowl along with the leftover schmaltz/oil from the pan. Add another 2 tbsp of schmaltz/oil to the skillet, melt it, and fry the remaining livers repeating the same process as above. Add the livers and leftover schmaltz/oil from the pan to the mixing bowl.
• The skillet should now be seasoned with schmaltz or oil, so you don't need to grease the pan again. Add the onion slices to the skillet and reduce heat to medium low.Cover the skillet and let the onion cook undisturbed over medium low heat for 10 minutes. Check once or twice during cooking just to make sure they are not over-browning or starting to burn. The onions should be softening, but not darkening at this point. This "steaming" process kick-starts the caramelization needed for sweetness in the chopped livers.
• Uncover the skillet, stir the onions, and continue to sauté them for another 30-40 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to keep the onions from burning. Ideally the onions should be deeply caramelized, tender and sweet - this is what gives Jewish chopped liver its trademark savory-sweetness.Don't try to speed up the caramelization process, it takes time-- and that's ok. Good things are worth waiting for. When the onions have reduced to about 1/3 of their original size and are soft, sweet, and golden, they're ready.
• Add the cooked onions to the mixing bowl along with 4 of the diced hard boiled eggs and the ½ cup of gribenes (optional). Season all ingredients generously with salt and pepper.
• Now it's time to chop all of the ingredients together into a blended mix. There are various schools of thought on the "right" way to chop liver. The old fashioned way is to chop it by hand with a knife, mincing and mincing until it resembles a rough pâté.
• Another popular method is using a meat grinder. I use a meat grinding attachment on my Kitchen Aid mixer on the fine hole setting. Works like a charm.If you want to take a more modern approach, fit your food processor with a metal blade. Place all ingredients into the processor and pulse for about 30 seconds, stirring once halfway through processing, until a roughly textured paste forms.
• Whatever method you choose, it's important to taste the chopped liver once it is ground. Add salt or pepper to taste, if desired. Be a bit generous with the seasoning, as the liver is best served chilled and the seasoning won't taste as strong after chilling.
• Chill the chopped liver in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with remaining diced hardboiled egg and minced parsley.

CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Drain the livers and saute them in 2 batches in 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat over medium-high heat, turning once, for about 5 minutes, or until just barely pink inside. Don't overcook the livers or they will be dry. Transfer them to a large bowl.
• In the same pan, saute the onions in 3 tablespoons of the chicken fat over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until browned. Add the Madeira and deglaze the pan, scraping the sides, for about 15 seconds. Pour into the bowl with the livers.
• Add the eggs, parsley, thyme, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and the remaining chicken fat to the bowl. Toss quickly to combine. Transfer half the mixture to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse 6 to 8 times, until coarsely chopped. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Season, to taste, and chill. Serve on crackers or matzo.

AUTHENTIC DELI-STYLE CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Cut the onion in med/thin rounds. Rinse the liver very quickly under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Hard boil the eggs for approximately 12 minutes, cool and shell. Saute the onion until it just starts to caramelize (place in heavy bottomed skillet, add 2 Tbs water, 3 Tbs Schmaltz - cover and cook over medium heat for ten minutes - remove lid and continue cooking for approximately 25 minutes). Remove from pan and when at room temperature place in fridge for a couple of hours covered. Cut liver into 4" squares. Saute each liver type separately as they have different cooking times - with each type in 2 Tbs Schmaltz. Don't overcook - just until all interior pink disappears. Place on platter - bring to room temperature - cover and place in fridge along with onions and hard boiled eggs for the two hours. Either place ingredients in wooden bowl and 'huck' until desired texture or use meat grinder attached to mixmaster. Add 1-2 Tbs liquid schmaltz, salt, and pepper. DO NOT OVERMIX! Return to fridge for an hour and bring out 1/2 hour before serving. Serve on bed of lettuce with radish roses. *The secret is to keep tasting the mixture which will tell you how much schmaltz and salt and pepper you need. Add the schmaltz melted when adding to the final mix.

JEWISH DELI-STYLE CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVERS

Steps:

• Prepare the Schmaltz as directed in the recipe. Rinse the livers and pat them dry with paper towels.
• In a large saute pan set over meidum heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the Schmaltz and saute the livers until browned, turning once, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per side. They should be just barely pink inside. Don't overcook them or they will be dry. Transfer the livers to a cutting board to cool.
• Using the same pan, heat another 2 tablespoons of the Schmaltz and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the cooked onions and livers to the bowl of a food processor. Add the eggs, salt, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons of Schmaltz. Pulse 6 to 8 times, until coarsely chopped. Do not puree. Taste for seasoning and chill at least 2 hours before serving.
• Serve with toast, crackers, or mazto and cornichons.

KATZ'S CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• The recipe does not call for it and of course it would not meet kosher requirements, but I always soak my liver in milk for an hour or two. I find that this really improves the taste of liver, especially beef liver.
• Heat broiler to high, and place beef livers on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Broil, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor.
• Place chicken livers on baking sheet and broil until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes; Transfer to food processor.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until soft, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to food processor.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and process until smooth.
• Transfer to a medium bowl, cover with plastic film and chill.
• Note: If you have a small food processor, cut the cooked beef liver into smaller pieces, quarter the eggs, mix with the chicken livers and all other ingredients in a large bowl, then process in batches.
• Note2: I use butter, as I don't usually have schmaltz.