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THE BEST: Chopped Liver

SarahD

By SarahD
in New York: Cooking & Baking

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Miami Danny

Miami Danny

Posted
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Vegetarian Chopped Liver is usually made with string beans, walnuts and eggs.  It's a traditional Jewish dish, its parve so it could be served with a dairy meal.

My neighbor, Mildred Ashkenazy, used to make this and it was called (in Yiddish), a 'maichel'- which means 'treat'. It's very simple to make with well-sauteed (in pareve margarine, of course) string beans and onions, hard boiled eggs, and hand chopped walnuts. If you have a hand cranked meat grinder, that will give you the best consistency-otherwise mash it with a fork(include the margarine!). Chopped liver is quite easy to make, containing nothing more than sauteed liver and onions,(in chicken fat-a must!), and hard-boiled eggs. Perfect with 'gribines'-that is, chicken cracklings, and more melted chicken fat served on top. Chicken livers will yield a silkier chopped liver, but beef's gamier flavor and texture are also interesting.

DailyCocaine-I ingest, so others don't have to...
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SuzySushi

SuzySushi

Posted
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I've never made veggie chopped liver, but I have a couple of recipes for it if anyone is interested.  One of my friends makes an excellent one - and she kindly makes it for me when we join them for meals.

If you have one that uses lentils, I'd be much obliged. I remember my friend's recipe as using lentils, sauteed onions, chopped egg... and I don't remember what else! It didn't have any nuts.

You asked for it, you got it.......(mind you, I've never made this. I have no idea how it will taste)

Hearty Vegetarian Chopped Liver adapted from Spice and Spirit

1 pound lentils

4 cups chopped onion

6 tablespoons oil

12-16 hardboiled eggs

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 teaspons salt

Cook lentils until soft and drain. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in large skillet and saute onions until well-caramelized. Combine lentils and eggs and chop to fine consistency. Add the lentil-egg mixture and remaining 3 tablespoons of oil to the onions. Add peanut butter, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Thanks! I'll give it a try (in a smaller quantity... it sounds like this makes an enormous amount!). My stepson is a vegetarian. :smile:

SuzySushi

"She sells shiso by the seashore."

My eGullet Foodblog: A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs

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terri

terri

Posted
Posted

It was this thread that made me want to join eg....so I could share favorite source for chopped liver - Sables 2nd Ave & 77th St. Maybe I like it because it's just like 'grandma-made' -- not too sweet, moist but not wet. In fact all the (smoked fish and salads) appetizers are worth the trek.

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Bux

Bux

Posted
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chicken; fried onions; hard boiled eggs; schmalz; salt and plenty pepper; hand chopped

At one time I though this was a recipe that one must be able to improve or make "finer." In truth it can only be adulterated and debased even by adding such swell ingredients as cognac. I prefer finely minced raw onions to cooked onions, but it has to be made fresh. If you're going to keep it a day, don't put raw onions in it. I also find the hard boiled eggs essential. The yolks contribute to the silkiness and the whites contribute a texture although I also like them finely minced, all by hand. Grinding and the food processor both offer an acceptable product, but not the best, IMHO. I rarely have chicken fat on hand to give it the right flavor and texture. I like it with calves liver as well, if not better.

Robert Buxbaum

WorldTable

Recent WorldTable posts include: comments about reporting on Michelin stars in The NY Times, the NJ proposal to ban foie gras, Michael Ruhlman's comments in blogs about the NJ proposal and Bill Buford's New Yorker article on the Food Network.

My mailbox is full. You may contact me via worldtable.com.

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phaelon56

phaelon56

Posted
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So what am I, chopped liver?

Lots of great discussion but isn't the traditional answer to the original question something along the lines of...

You should be so lucky!
:laugh:

I actually had some email correspondence recently with someone who was puzzled when I mentioned chopped liver in self deprecating humorous context. It's still not entirely clear to me how the phrase came to have its non-food related meaning although I'm well familiar with the phrase.

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coughy

coughy

Posted
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My mother's chopped liver was the best. Chicken livers, fried onions and hard boiled eggs. Her secret was toboil a few onions when she hard boiled eggs. She used a meat grinder and every once in a while she put a boiled onion in more for consistency than flavor. It was so moist and delicious.

I happen to like Zabar's liver the best.

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  • 2 years later...
Dr. Teeth

Dr. Teeth

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I recently had dinner at Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse (I know, I know. I should be thrown from egullet. Worst part is I had a fabulous time) I was blown away by the chopped liver and wondered where else I could go in New York if I wanted to try the best.

Your thoughts?

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Cleo

Cleo

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Although I don't care for chopped liver, I have bought it at Russ & Daughters and my guests raved about it. 2nd Avenue Deli's too. Haven't been there since it has reopened, but I'd imagine the chopped liver is as good as it was.

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Bliss

Bliss

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WE get ours from Fischer Bros & Leslie, butcher on the UWS and we love it.

I recently had dinner at Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse (I know, I know.  I should be thrown from egullet.  Worst part is I had a fabulous time)  I was blown away by the chopped liver and wondered where else I could go in New York if I wanted to try the best. 

Your thoughts?

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flinflon28

flinflon28

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I recently had dinner at Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse (I know, I know.  I should be thrown from egullet.  Worst part is I had a fabulous time)  I was blown away by the chopped liver and wondered where else I could go in New York if I wanted to try the best. 

Your thoughts?

Don't apologize for going there. Especially if you had a good time. With the right group of people I'm sure a blast could be had at that place.

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jackal10

jackal10

Posted
Posted

I much prefer my own home made. Commercial chopped liver is often processed to fine. It really must be hand chopped - its chopped liver, not pate, and that implies a small batch size.

Its easy enough to make at home, even from frozen chicken livers, so why buy?

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weinoo

weinoo

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I much prefer my own home made. Commercial chopped liver is often processed to fine. It really must be hand chopped - its chopped liver, not pate, and that implies a small batch size.

Its easy enough to make at home, even from frozen chicken livers, so why buy?

'Cause we're New Yorkers, and sometimes we just wanna buy that shit :smile:

I believe one or two of the places mentioned hand-chops their liver as well.

Anyway, looks like you've hit some of the best places for your fix. I'm partial to Russ & Daughter's and am looking forward to trying the 2nd Ave. Deli's. Sarge's is pretty good too.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

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ludja

ludja

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Carnegie Deli has many tourists but their chopped liver is still excellent. I have their chopped liver at least once a year and it is always fresh and sweet.

"Under the dusty almond trees, ... stalls were set up which sold banana liquor, rolls, blood puddings, chopped fried meat, meat pies, sausage, yucca breads, crullers, buns, corn breads, puff pastes, longanizas, tripes, coconut nougats, rum toddies, along with all sorts of trifles, gewgaws, trinkets, and knickknacks, and cockfights and lottery tickets."

-- Gabriel Garcia Marquez, 1962 "Big Mama's Funeral"

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raji

raji

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Eisenstiens has killer chopped liver sandwiches. I like mine with turkey and mustard.

Ahh, a true classic, Toby. Is Eisenstein's the one on the upper east side?

No, Eisentstein's is an oldNY-style sandwich shop at 20th and 5th. Can't be beat. Low prices great corned beef and pastrami. One of their customers bought it just to keep the thing alive

http://www.raji.com/blog/

http://wrightandwrong.metsblog.com/

NYC and Tokyo

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weinoo

weinoo

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No, Eisentstein's is an oldNY-style sandwich shop at 20th and 5th. Can't be beat. Low prices great corned beef and pastrami. One of their customers bought it just to keep the thing alive

Thanks, raji. I've eaten there - but I think I had a burger that someone had written about. Now I can go back for the chopped liver sandwich :smile: .

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

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flinflon28

flinflon28

Posted
Posted
Eisenstiens has killer chopped liver sandwiches. I like mine with turkey and mustard.

Ahh, a true classic, Toby. Is Eisenstein's the one on the upper east side?

No, Eisentstein's is an oldNY-style sandwich shop at 20th and 5th. Can't be beat. Low prices great corned beef and pastrami. One of their customers bought it just to keep the thing alive

Is it possible you mean Eisenberg's or is there another deli in that area named Eisenstien's?

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weinoo

weinoo

Posted
Posted
Eisenstiens has killer chopped liver sandwiches. I like mine with turkey and mustard.

Ahh, a true classic, Toby. Is Eisenstein's the one on the upper east side?

No, Eisentstein's is an old NY-style sandwich shop at 20th and 5th. Can't be beat. Low prices great corned beef and pastrami. One of their customers bought it just to keep the thing alive

Is it possible you mean Eisenberg's or is there another deli in that area named Eisenstien's?

flinflon28, you're right...that's Eisenberg's on 5th Ave. and 22nd. St. and that's where I've eaten - thanks.

Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

Tasty Travails - My Blog

My eGullet FoodBog - A Tale of Two Boroughs

Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

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Daniel

Daniel

Posted
Posted
Eisenstiens has killer chopped liver sandwiches. I like mine with turkey and mustard.

Ahh, a true classic, Toby. Is Eisenstein's the one on the upper east side?

No, Eisentstein's is an old NY-style sandwich shop at 20th and 5th. Can't be beat. Low prices great corned beef and pastrami. One of their customers bought it just to keep the thing alive

Is it possible you mean Eisenberg's or is there another deli in that area named Eisenstien's?

flinflon28, you're right...that's Eisenberg's on 5th Ave. and 22nd. St. and that's where I've eaten - thanks.

I think Eisenberg's has had a few owners recently..

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scottie

scottie

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Sammy's is awesome and I love it. No one should be ashamed to love Sammy's Roumanian, even if the food sometimes sucks. The experience is great when you're in the right mood.

Sammy's has the best chopped liver, but I also like Sarge's. I think Zabar's is too sweet.

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