Momma Schwartz's Chopped Liver

Seriously Carol. Chopped liver post 😂.

I get it....kinda because I gotta be straight up. I love this stuff. I’ve waited 51 years for my mom to show me how she makes her chopped liver. This is Home to me. This is my Dad (and even in his last days of dialysis would say “Cash, pack a little chopped liver & a little slice of rye”. ) And now it’s a great afternoon with my mom.

But mostly, making this with my mom today reinforced why so many of us don’t cook. When I’ve looked up recipes to make on my own: it was so complicated!!!! (reduce port wine, sear then broil livers, add 73 who-has-those spices in their pantry, just pickle some beets and in your 5th pan...).

Overwhelmed. Ugh. No. Way. How on earth did my mom do all this so often 😂? So I set most of the day aside to marvel at her culinary finesse.

What I discovered: 4 ingredients (chicken livers, chicken fat, yellow onions, eggs). Salt & pepper. One pan. One food processor.

It was so simple. So quick. Cooking doesn’t have to be time consuming and complicated. Even the most simple recipes can: call you home, nourish your body, feed your soul, and continue to build lifelong memories and traditions. So no hours in the kitchen. Just us. The back porch. Chopped liver and some rye.

Ingredients

• 1-1 1/2 lbs chicken livers
• 1/2 cup chicken fat **
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 5 hard boiled eggs, 4 chopped
• Salt & Pepper to taste (generous here!)

Directions

• Heat large sauté pan over medium heat and melt 2 T of the chicken fat.
• Add 1/2 the livers and season with salt and pepper. Sauté about 3 mins per side (don’t overcook liver because it dries them out, just until browned a bit but still pink inside).
• Remove from pan, into bowl (cover loosely).
• Repeat process with second half of livers.
• Add second batch to first. Increase heat to medium high, add onion to pan, season with salt and pepper and sauté until golden, 6-8 mins stirring often.
• Add onions and any remaining liquid to livers. 
• Fit a food processor with blade, add liver and onion mixture. Pulse to combine. Give it a stir.
• Check seasonings and adjust as needed. If a bit dry, add remaining chicken fat, 1 T at a time. Pulse until rough pate texture. Scoop into bowl and stir in chopped eggs.
• Adjust seasoning if needed. 
• Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours (seriously though I eat it warm who has two hours to wait...it will be cold tomorrow 😂).
• To serve, garnish with sliced egg from 2 left over. My dad always ate with rye, but crackers work great.

**chicken fat or Schmaltz can be rendered from the skin and trimmings of, well, a chicken, but most chickens are trimmed so well. Not much fat and a process. Empire Kosher packages schmaltz. I found some in the Kosher freezer section at my grocery store.