Chopped Liver

Chopped Liver is a dish made from chicken liver. Some say calves' liver can be used instead, but others say calves' liver is too strong tasting.

It is slimy, lumpy, and grey, with a texture close to French pate du campagne, though there are two camps of preference: finely ground or coarse.

The chicken livers are cooked first. They can be pan-fried, or simmered in chicken broth.

Then you mash them with a fork, along with schmaltz, and seasoning such as salt and pepper. Some people mash in some hard-boiled egg as well.

Some people now use olive oil instead of schmaltz, but purists scoff at the idea -- fans maintain the schmalz is even more important than the chicken livers themselves. They say without the schmaltz, there's no point.

It's traditional to use far too much salt.

Often served with rye bread.

Cooking Tips for Chopped Liver

If using a food processor, pulse rather than purée.

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Also called:

Gehachte Leber (German)

See Also: Chicken Fat, Liver, Schmaltz

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