Chicken Liver, Chopped (Jewish Style)
The Art of Jewish Cooking Page 4 (Combination of both Recipes)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken livers
- 4 tablespoons schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) (if not available use vegetable oil with a high smoke point, not olive oil)
- 2 onions diced
- 3 hardboiled eggs
- Celery stalks (as needed, see below)
- 1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste)
Preparation
Step 1
A MEAT GRINDER OR KITCHENAIDE ATTACHMENT IS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE.
CHOPPING IN A BOWL WITH A KNIFE OR MEZALUNA CAN BE DONE BUT IS NOT RECOMMENDED.
Wash livers, drain, remove any discolored spots and cut liver lobes apart and into 1 inch chunks.
Heat two tablespoons schmaltz and brown (just past translucent) diced onions in it. Approximately 5 minutes. Remove onions from pan and set aside.
Cook livers in remaining fat until cooked through (no pink). Do not cook on high heat, use medium to avoid overcooking outside while inside stays too rare. Cook in relatively small batches so livers have room to breathe. Add more fat as necessary to keep pan lubricated. Set each batch aside after it is cooked. Allow livers to cool somewhat before proceeding.
Grind onions, livers and eggs once into a bowl. Use celery stalks to add moisture while grinding. Add salt and pepper to bowl and mix with a spoon or spatula. Taste and add additional celery, salt and pepper to get proper moisture and taste. Mixture should have texture and not be paste. You are making chopped liver not liver pate.
Refrigerate until ready to serve, Will keep refrigerated for 4 to 5 days.