Best Authentic Deli Style Chopped Liver Recipes

TRADITIONAL JEWISH CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Bring small saucepan of water with eggs to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and set the timer for 9 minutes. Once timer has gone off, plunge eggs under cold water and cool completely. Peel and set aside. Cook onion in a sauté pan, with 2 tablespoons of schmaltz, over medium heat until medium golden brown and very soft. Add chicken livers and stir to combine. Turn off heat and add brandy and thyme. Turn heat on low (be careful as the brandy might ignite) and cook until all brandy has been absorbed or evaporated. Remove thyme and process mixture plus remaining schmaltz in food processor until creamy and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer liver to a decorative bowl or platter and chill at least 1 hour. Garnish as desired and serve with matzo or thinly sliced rye bread. If you can't find kashered chicken livers see how it's done:

SIMPLE CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Place the eggs into a saucepan in a single layer and fill with water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, remove from the heat and let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water, then cool the eggs under cold running water in the sink. Peel and chop once cold.
• Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more. Place onion on a plate and set aside. Stir chicken livers into the same skillet. Cook until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear. Place chicken livers on the same plate as the onions and allow to cool completely.
• Place chicken livers and onion in a food processor. Process until desired texture is achieved. Place liver mixture into a bowl and season with salt and sugar. Stir in the chopped eggs. Chill before serving.

NOT YOUR GRANDMA'S CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVER

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, stir, and saute until onions are softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer onions to a food processor, leaving as much butter in the pan as you can.
• Fry livers in the hot butter until lightly browned on 1 side, about 4 minutes. Turn and continue frying until slightly pink in the center, 3 to 4 minutes more. Add livers to the food processor with the onions.
• Pour bourbon into the same skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Boil until thickened and reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Pour liquid into the food processor.
• Combine eggs, thyme, salt, and pepper in the food processor with the liver mixture. Process until smooth.

CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Drain the livers and saute them in 2 batches in 2 tablespoons of the chicken fat over medium-high heat, turning once, for about 5 minutes, or until just barely pink inside. Don't overcook the livers or they will be dry. Transfer them to a large bowl.
• In the same pan, saute the onions in 3 tablespoons of the chicken fat over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until browned. Add the Madeira and deglaze the pan, scraping the sides, for about 15 seconds. Pour into the bowl with the livers.
• Add the eggs, parsley, thyme, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and the remaining chicken fat to the bowl. Toss quickly to combine. Transfer half the mixture to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse 6 to 8 times, until coarsely chopped. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Season, to taste, and chill. Serve on crackers or matzo.

AUTHENTIC DELI-STYLE CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Cut the onion in med/thin rounds. Rinse the liver very quickly under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Hard boil the eggs for approximately 12 minutes, cool and shell. Saute the onion until it just starts to caramelize (place in heavy bottomed skillet, add 2 Tbs water, 3 Tbs Schmaltz - cover and cook over medium heat for ten minutes - remove lid and continue cooking for approximately 25 minutes). Remove from pan and when at room temperature place in fridge for a couple of hours covered. Cut liver into 4" squares. Saute each liver type separately as they have different cooking times - with each type in 2 Tbs Schmaltz. Don't overcook - just until all interior pink disappears. Place on platter - bring to room temperature - cover and place in fridge along with onions and hard boiled eggs for the two hours. Either place ingredients in wooden bowl and 'huck' until desired texture or use meat grinder attached to mixmaster. Add 1-2 Tbs liquid schmaltz, salt, and pepper. DO NOT OVERMIX! Return to fridge for an hour and bring out 1/2 hour before serving. Serve on bed of lettuce with radish roses. *The secret is to keep tasting the mixture which will tell you how much schmaltz and salt and pepper you need. Add the schmaltz melted when adding to the final mix.

SECOND AVENUE DELI'S CHOPPED LIVER

Steps:

• Heat broiler. Rinse livers thoroughly, and cut away membranes and extra fat. Cut beef liver into 1-inch pieces; chicken livers can remain whole. Place livers in a large baking pan, and drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Broil 8 to 10 minutes (keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't burn). Turn, and broil until fully cooked and lightly browned on both sides, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to shallow bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons schmaltz, over medium heat. Add onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep-golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill in refrigerator, about 30 minutes.
• In a food processor, combine half the liver, half the onions, 2 hard-boiled eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons schmaltz, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Process until smooth. Repeat. Chill before serving.