Old Country Chopped Liver Recipes

SIMPLE CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Place the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water, then cool the eggs under cold running water in the sink. Peel and chop once cold.
• Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Place onion on a plate and set aside. Stir chicken livers into the same skillet. Cook until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear. Place chicken livers on the same plate as the onions and allow to cool completely.
• Place chicken livers and onion in a food processor. Process until desired texture is achieved. Place liver mixture into a bowl and season with salt and sugar. Stir in the chopped eggs. Chill before serving.

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 RECIPE

Steps:

• Place the chicken livers on paper towels to drain. Place the eggs in your food processor bowl.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large 12-inch skillet. Add the chopped onion and fry until golden, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and cook a few more seconds, just until no longer raw. Using a spatula, transfer the skillet contents, including any remaining oil, to the food processor.
• Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the skillet. Add the chicken livers and cook them over medium heat (not higher or they could burst) until brown on the outside and barely pink on the inside, about 3 minutes per side. Overcooked livers are dry and grainy.*
• Again, use the spatula to transfer the skillet contents, including the livers, the oil, and any tasty bits left on the bottom of the skillet, to the food processor.
• Add the salt and pepper. Process briefly, about 30 seconds, stopping once to scrape the sides and bottom with a spatula. You don't want the chopped liver to be as smooth as a liver pate. It should have a bit more texture to it.
• Transfer the chopped liver to a serving dish. Cover and keep in the fridge for at least two hours, allowing the flavors to meld. Don't eat it when still warm! It won't be very good. It needs time to develop its deep flavor. Its flavor, as well as its texture, greatly improves after a rest in the fridge.

BUBBIE'S CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Place the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water, then cool the eggs under cold running water in the sink. Peel once cold.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Place chicken livers on a baking sheet in a single layer and broil until the liver is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 3 minutes per side.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the chopped large onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Divide into two bowls and set aside. Place carrots in the same skillet. Cook and stir until the carrots have softened, about 5 minutes.
• Place chicken livers, carrots, raw chopped onion, 1 hardboiled egg, half of the cooked onion, salt and pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth. Pour in the chicken stock and continue processing until the liver mixture is creamy and fluffy. Arrange the liver mixture in a bowl and top with the remaining cooked onion and grated hardboiled egg. Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.

CHOPPED LIVER RECIPE

Steps:

• Broil the liver to medium doneness or sauté in oil on both sides. Cool the liver completely. Brown the onions in a bit of hot oil.
• You can process the liver mixture in one of two ways.
• 1. Grind the liver, eggs and fried onions in a meat grinder.
• 2. Process the liver in a food processor until minced. Add the remaining ingredients and process until blended. Add the seasonings. You can add a bit chicken broth if needed to reach the desired texture.

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:

• Hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes, drain, and set aside to cool. In a large frying pan, gently cook the onions in the oil (or schmaltz) until soft and golden. Increase the heat, add the livers, and stir for a few seconds so that they absorb the flavor of the onion. Either pour the mixture into a food processor and process to a coarse or smooth paste with the gribenes (if using), or pass the mixture through an old-fashioned grinder. Scoop into a bowl. Grate the eggs on the coarse side of a grater and add to the bowl, reserving a little of the grated egg for the garnish. Stir in the parsley and fold in gently. Moisten the mixture with some wine, brandy, or chicken stock, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until needed. Serve in scoops on individual plates topped with a little grated egg and paprika for color, and generous pieces of fresh Friday-night challah.
• To make gribenes and schmaltz
• Remove the spare fat from a raw chicken and place in a pan. (There is usually a lump of fat around the neck, in an older bird at least.) Add 1 cup (8 oz) dairy-free margarine, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 large onion (with the skin left on to enhance the golden color). Remove the skin from the chicken, cut into smallish pieces, and add to the pan. Set over very low heat and cook for 1 1/2-2 hours until all of the fat has been rendered gently out of the chicken skin. Remove the skin from the pan and drain on paper towels to form gribenes or crackling. Pour the fat (schmaltz) into a heavy-duty glass dish and store in the fridge until needed*. As the fat cools, a rich jelly will collect at the bottom of the dish. This jelly forms a delicious base for soup or sauces.
• The fat (schmaltz) will keep for up to 6 weeks in the fridge. Store the gribenes in the fridge.

CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Rinse livers under cold water to remove blood; drain. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add schmaltz and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add caramelized onions. Cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
• Add livers to skillet and season with salt. Cook, stirring, until livers begin to brown and insides are pink throughout, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer livers to a plate to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Add chopped onions and cook, stirring, until golden brown; remove from heat and set sauteed onions aside.
• Place cooled livers and caramelized onions in the bowl of a food processor; pulse until well combined. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in hard-boiled eggs, sauteed onions; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before using.

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.

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.

OLD COUNTRY CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Preheat broiler to 500°. Broil livers on broiler rack 4 inches from the heat source for 3 minutes on each side. Remove from the oven and finely chop livers.
• Melt 6 Tblsp. schmaltz in skillet and sauté onions over medium/low heat until soft and just beginning to brown. Add chopped liver pieces and sauté 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
• Pour contents of skillet into a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, chop the eggs and add them to the liver mixture. Mix in the salt, pepper, and gribenes (if using). Mix everything together until well blended. Chill at least 3 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
• Serving Suggestions: Serve small portions of chopped liver garnished with kosher dill pickles and pickled beet slices during the winter. Garnish the liver with fresh tomato and English cucumber slices in the summer.
• A medium-dry white wine, such as chardonnay, goes very well with chopped liver. So does a white zinfandel.

CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Turn on broiler. Rinse beef and chicken livers thoroughly, and cut away membranes and extra fat. Cut beef liver into 1-inch pieces; chicken livers can remain whole. Place beef and chicken livers in a large baking pan, and drizzle with corn oil (pour oil into a flatware tablespoon and drizzle over livers; 2 tablespoons are ample.) Broil 8 to 10 minutes (keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn.) Turn liver pieces, and broil for another 5 minutes. Liver should be fully cooked and lightly browned on both sides. Chill in refrigerator. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons corn oil and the same amount of schmaltz, and saute onions, stirring occasionally, until well browned. Chill in refrigerator. In food processor, combine liver, onions, hard-boiled eggs, 2 tablespoons schmaltz, salt and pepper, and blend until smooth. You will have to do it in batches. Chill before serving.