Ah, Chopped Liver

I am making it right now in preparation for Rosh Hashanah dinner, and grossing my son (age 23 and  working on a paper for school sitting at the kitchen table) out in the process.  "Feathers?" he says?  "Are you going to put any feathers in it this year?  Because if you put feathers in it, I will eat it."

His way of saying that you might as well cook and serve up chicken feathers, they are just as appetizing as chicken liver.

Yes. Well, I remember feeling exactly the same way he does, until

{{{{Yikes!!}}}} 

Oh well, the onions I will be using to make the liver will have a charcoal taste to them this year. Hard to blog and cook at the same time.

At any rate, I remember my mother and father sticking forkfuls of chopped liver in my face saying, "Try it, you don't know what you're missing," and me running screaming from the room.

But now: Chopped liver on fresh pumpernickel with a slice of raw purple onion...just wonderful.  When I eat it, I taste the lower east side of NY and my history, which makes it that much better somehow.

The illustration below shows rye bread, which is ok too but not as good as pumpernickel with C.L., in my humble opinion.

Either you are totally nauseated, or the thought has you, like me, singing along with Fred Astaire.

Fred Astaire – Cheek to Cheek

Recipe

1 lb chicken livers

4 hard boiled eggs

2 cups chopped onion

Broil livers until brown.  Fry onions in schmaltz or oil.  Toss the livers in with the onions for a few minutes at the end.  Then chop and mix everything together - can do it by hand or with a food processor.  Chill for a few hours.

Addendum: I forgot - add a liberal sprinking of pepper and kosher salt for flavor at various points of your choosing along the way - on the liver before broiling, on the onions as they fry, and more to taste after mixing if needed.

Comments

[Schvach]

I agree, pumpernickle's the best. I haven't had chopped liver since I moved from NY 20 years ago. How have I gone on without it? I live in the absolute lap of a culture-less community - not one Jewish deli, anywhere! What a waste.

[Gail]

You mean you live in Virginia too?

[Oceanguy]

Similar to you I remember gagging on my Mother's chopped liver when I was young... Now, I wish I had her recipe.

L'Shanah Tova to you and yours!

[Gail]

Same right back at you, Mr. Oceanguy!