Shared by Dor Gil
Shared by Dor Gil
Chicken Livers and Mashed Potatoes with Gribenes (Crispy Skin)
Yield: 4-6 servingsTime: 1½ hours
Chicken Livers and Mashed Potatoes with Gribenes (Crispy Skin)
Yield: 4-6 servingsTime: 1½ hoursFamily Journey
Ștefănești, RomaniaBotoșani, RomaniaNahalal, Israel
Kiryat Tiv'on, IsraelKiryat Yam, IsraelKiryat Ono, Israel
New York CityQuito, EcuadorTel Aviv
Dor Gil’s Romanian grandmother Hedy made this dish every year for the last day of Passover on what’s known as Chag Sheni, or second holiday in Hebrew. She started preparations for the meal far in advance, asking her butcher to set aside chicken and goose skin so she could make enough gribenes for everyone in the family. “She always spoke so highly about her relationship with the butcher and that he saved it for her, only for her,” Dor shares.
Hedy passed away a few years ago, but Dor has revived the tradition. Last year, he prepared it for his immediate family and this year, he will make it in Switzerland where he now lives with his partner. Like his grandmother, Dor started planning the beloved meal well in advance.
Cooking notes: You’ll need chicken skins to make the gribenes for this recipe. Ask your butcher to set some aside for you, or save the skins when using chicken for other recipes, storing them in the freezer until you have enough.
Read more of Dor’s family story in “a grandmother’s meal of livers and gribenes marks the end of passover”.
Ingredients
For the Gribenes
- 12 oz chicken skin
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Mashed Potatoes
- 2- 2½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground black pepper, optional
For the Chicken Livers
- 1½ pounds chicken livers
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Rendered fat from gribenes (schmaltz)
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the gribenes: Thoroughly pat the chicken skins dry with paper towels, then cut them into ½-inch pieces and season with salt.
Step 2
Place the skin pieces in a large skillet over medium-low heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Step 3
Uncover the skillet, increase heat to medium, and cook for another 15-20 minutes until golden, stirring occasionally. Avoid deep browning on the skins, or they will taste burnt. Using a wide metal strainer, strain the rendered fat (schmaltz) into a heatproof bowl and set aside. Keep the gribenes in the strainer to drain, or transfer them to a paper towel lined plate. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste and set aside.
Step 4
Meanwhile, prepare the mashed potatoes: Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Salt generously and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain the potatoes.
Step 5
While the potatoes are cooking, clean the chicken livers: Trim off any green spots, membranes, and stringy white connective tissue. Rinse briefly under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
Step 6
Return the potatoes to the pot and place over low heat. Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper (if using), continuing to mash while gradually adding the reserved cooking liquid until the mash reaches your desired consistency. Leave in the pot and set aside.
Step 7
Sear the chicken livers: Place a large skillet over high heat and add 2–3 tablespoons of the reserved schmaltz. Season the livers with salt and pepper, then sear them in batches, flipping halfway through, until cooked to your liking.
Step 8
For plating, start with a mound of mashed potatoes, top with the seared chicken livers, and finish by sprinkling the gribenes on top.
