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Ingrid Wallach

Traditional Ashkenazi Jewish chopped liver

Traditional Ashkenazi Jewish chopped liveris a classic appetizer made from coarse chicken livers, caramelized onions,hard-boiled eggs, and rendered chicken fat (schmaltz)
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Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 chicken livers Cleaned & trimmed
  • 1/4 cup rendered chicken fat plus extra for adjusting texture
  • 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced or diced
  • 3-4 large hard-boiled eggs peeled
  • 1/2-1 tsp coarse salt to taste
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method
 

  1. Method
Method
    Caramelize the Onions:
    1.             •Heat 2 tablespoons of schmaltz in a large skillet over medium-low heat.
                 
    2. •Add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Cook slowly for 25 to 40 minutes,stirring often, until deep golden brown and sweet. Transfer them to a bowl.
    Cook The Livers
    1. Add the remaining schmaltz to the same skillet over medium-high heat.
    2. Sear the cleaned chicken livers for about 2 to 3 minutes per side until brownedon the outside but still slightly pink and tender on the inside (do notovercook, or they will dry out). Let them cool for about 5 to 10 minutes.
    Chop and Combine
    1.             •By hand or grinder: Use a traditional meat grinder or finely chop the livers,caramelized onions, and 3 of the hard-boiled eggs with a heavy chef's knife ona cutting board.
    2.             •Pulse the cooked livers,onions, and 3 hard-boiled eggs 8 to 12 times. Keep a chunky, rustic texturerather than a smooth puree.
    4. Season and Chill:
    1. •Stir in the salt, black pepper, and an extra drizzle of schmaltz if the mixturelooks too dry.
    2. •Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 30minutes to 2 hours.
    Serve
    1. Bring to room temperature or serve cold.Garnish with the remaining hard-boiled egg (grated finely over the top) andchopped fresh parsley.
      Chopped liver is a typical dish originating fromAshkenazi Jews in the 11th Century

    Notes

    As Ashkenazi Jews migrated from France and Germany east into Poland, Russia, and Ukraine, the economic landscape changed. Communities adapted by using chicken or beef livers instead of traditional geese livers.
    In the impoverished shtetls (small Jewish villages) of Eastern Europe, food waste was not an option. Organ meats (offal) like liver were cheap and easily accessible. To stretch a small amount of meat to feed large families, housewives cleverly padded the recipe by adding hard-boiled eggs and heavily caramelized onions. What began as an exercise in financial thrift became a beloved culinary tradition.
    This recipe is a much loved one that my mother made for every Jewish festival, as a starter before the soup and main course. Today, at the age of 88, she still insists that no-one can make it as well as she does and insists on making it for every special occasion.