Jewish Chopped Chicken Livers 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:

TRADITIONAL JEWISH CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVER

Steps:

• Cut away any tough pieces of liver, stringy tendons or discolored pieces of meat.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of schmaltz in a large cast iron pan or skillet over medium heat. Sauté half of the chicken livers in the skillet for 3 minutes on each side. Season generously with salt and pepper halfway through the cooking process.
• Once the livers are brown on the outside and firm to touch, place them in a mixing bowl along with the leftover schmaltz from the pan.
• Add another 2 tablespoons of schmaltz to the skillet and repeat the process with the remaining livers
• Add 2 large sliced onions to the schmaltz juices in the skillet. Cover and cook the onion undisturbed over medium heat for 10 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to low. Remove the lid from the skillet. Stir the onions, and continue to cook them for 30-40 minutes more to caramelize the onions.
• Transfer the caramelized onions to the livers in the mixing bowl. Add 4 of the diced hard boiled eggs and ½ cup of gribenes (if using). Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Mince the liver mixture with a knife until it resembles a rough pâté.
• Taste the liver once it is chopped. Adjust the seasoning by adding salt or pepper to taste.
• Chill the liver in the refrigerator until serving.
• Garnish with the remaining hard boiled egg and freshly chopped parsley. Serve with crackers, matzo, or on rye.

CLASSIC JEWISH CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVER RECIPE

Steps:

• If Using a Grill for the Livers: Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over half of coal grate. Alternatively, set all the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Proceed to step 3.
• If Using a Broiler for the Livers: Preheat broiler and move oven rack to highest position. Oil a slotted broiler pan, or a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet.
• Using a paring knife, clean livers well of any fat, green spots, or large veins. Season all over with kosher salt. If using a grill, grill livers over high heat, turning frequently, until they are very lightly charred in spots and only the last traces of pink remain in their centers. If using the broiler, arrange livers on the prepared broiler pan or wire rack and broil, turning frequently, until exteriors are well-browned and only the last traces of pink remain in the centers. (If you are unsure about whether the livers are done, cut them open to check.) Remove from oven or grill and set aside.
• Scrape minced liver and egg mixture into a mixing bowl. Scrape in cooked onion, along with all of the cooking fat. Add minced gribenes, if using. Stir until thoroughly combined, seasoning with salt and pepper as you go.
• Add as much extra schmaltz as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency. Exactly how much this is will depend on several variables, including your personal preference, though we recommend that chopped liver be spreadable and moist, not dry and crumbly.

CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVERS

Steps:

• Rinse the livers and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Clean the livers, by trimming and discarding any visible fat, green parts, or membrane. Set the livers aside.
• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the onions to a plate with a slotted spoon. Wipe out the pan.
• Spread the livers out in a single layer on a sheet pan and season with the salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high, add 2 tablespoons of the fat to the pan and when the fat begins to shimmer, lay the livers in the pan in a single layer. Working in batches, cook the livers turning each over once, until browned, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the livers to the plate with the onions. Repeat with 2 tablespoons fat and remaining livers. Cool.
• Coarsely chop the livers with a knife (don't be tempted to use a food processor). In a medium bowl, gently combine the livers with the eggs, onions, and remaining 2 tablespoons fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Serve with toast and cornichons if desired.
• Serving suggestion: Toasted rye or pumpernickel bread and cornichons .
• In a small saucepan combine the chicken fat or skin, thyme, garlic, and water. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low to medium heat. Cook until the fat has rendered (liquefied) and the skin becomes crispy, about 35 to 45 minutes. (Adjust the heat, as needed, to keep the skin from browning too quickly.) Set the chicken fat aside to cool slightly. Strain into a small bowl. If desired reserve the crispy skin. Refrigerate, covered, for up to one week.
• Yields: about 1/2 cup

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.

JEWISH CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVERS

Steps:

• Fry chicken livers in some of the chicken fat until firm but still pink inside, and remove to a bowl.
• Sauté the chopped onion in chicken fat (add more if necessary) until transparent.
• Chop hard-boiled eggs coarsely.
• Whizz livers, onion and egg in a processor until mashed.
• Scrape out with spatula, and combine in a bowl with the chopped celery and green pepper.
• Add additional chicken fat to make a smooth mixture.
• Add salt and pepper to taste. Preferably use good sea salt flakes.
• Put into a small, pretty bowl and top with finely chopped parsley if you like.
• Serve as an appetizer with rounds of baguette or crispbreads.

CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVER PATE (APPETIZER)

Steps:

• In a skillet, place 2 tablespoons butter and 1 small thinly sliced onion and sautè until golden brown.
• Add the 6 tablespoons of schmaltz (chicken fat) and mix real well as you crumble the onion slices.
• This is called schmaltz with grieven. I also have a separate recipe posted on RecipeZaar for Schmaltz. See that recipe.
• You can use this right away; however, it is better to make this a couple of months ahead of time and place it in the freezer to cure.
• When ready to make the patè, in a skillet sautè the onions in the peanut oil over a medium flame until golden brown and add the schmaltz with grieven.
• Boil the 4 eggs until hard boiled.
• Add the chicken livers to the pan with the onions, schmaltz with grieven& garlic and cook 2 or 3 minutes until done.
• Add the cream sherry and cook an additional minute.
• Remove from pan and allow to cool.
• In a food processor, gently PULSE the livers and hard boiled eggs into a rough chop.
• DO NOT OVERMIX!
• Add salt, pepper and sugar and adjust as necessary.

CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVER

Steps:

• Remove the membrane from the livers. Cure them overnight with the salt and baharat. The next day, place livers in a pan, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and broil until the livers are golden brown and cooked through, approximately 15 minutes. While the livers are roasting, slice the onion, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and add a large pinch of salt. Cook over low heat in a pan until very caramelized, about 1 hour.
• When onions are soft, deeply brown, and caramelized, add sherry vinegar and reduce to dry.
• Add livers, caramelized onions, halved hard-boiled eggs, and a pinch of salt to a food processor and purée to desired consistency. Serve on rye toast, garnished with hard-boiled egg, raw onion, and dill.