Traditional Jewish Chopped Chicken 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:

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.

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.

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 LIVER ITALIAN STYLE (FEGATO ALLE UOVA SODE)

Steps:

• Using 2 sauté pans, divide the oil or fat between them.
• Add the onions to one pan and sauté over medium heat until they are dark, golden brown, 15-20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in the other pan, sauté the livers over medium heat until they are medium cooked, 5-7 minutes.
• There should still be quite a bit of pink, but they should not show any signs of blood.
• During the last few minutes of cooking, add the white wine and allow most of it to evaporate.
• Remove from the heat and chop the livers coarsely.
• Reserve the pan juices.
• Peel and chop the eggs (if you use a food processor, pulse them briefly in small batches: you do not want them to lose their chunky texture).
• In a bowl, combine the warm onions, livers, and eggs.
• Add all of the pan juices, salt and pepper and mix well.
• If the mixture seems a little dry, add more melted fat or oil.
• Serve with bread, crackers or matzoh.