MeAT & Fish

45

Chopped Liver
rae: This version of the classic Jewish comfort food has converted more

than a few nonbelievers; it even worked for me, someone who never liked chopped liver growing up. Its got a luscious flavor and texture, and the crunchy, salty garnishes put it over the top. We swap pickled onions for the traditional fried topping for a needed brightness, and our Pletzel (page 184) makes for the perfect vehicle. I recommend using a meat grinder, but if you dont have one, pulsing the ingredients in a food processor works too.
cup Schmaltz (page 91) 3 cups chopped onion 1 pound chicken livers 1 fresh bay leaf 1 sprig of thyme 4 large eggs, boiled, peeled, and coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon quatre-pices (equal parts white pepper, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon) Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 scallions, sliced into thin rings
For SErvIng:

Sieved egg (a peeled hard-boiled egg pressed through the coarse holes of a box grater) Pickled Red Onions (page 66) Gribenes (page 91) Pletzel (page 184)

Heat the schmaltz in a large saut pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry until the edges start to brown. Add the chicken livers, bay leaf, and thyme. Lower the heat slightly and cook, stirring often, until the livers are just barely cooked through, about 10 minutes. Set the liver-and-onion mixture aside and let it cool to room temperature. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprig and add the eggs and quatre-pices. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pass the mixture through the small die of a meat grinder, or pulse in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Fold in the scallions and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the sieved egg, pickled red onions, and gribenes; serve with pletzel.
SeRveS 8 AS An APPeTizeR