Shared by Miri and Yoav Polachek
Shared by Miri and Yoav Polachek
Chopped Liver With Caramelized Onions
Yield: 10-15 servingsTime: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Chopped Liver With Caramelized Onions
Yield: 10-15 servingsTime: 1 hour and 40 minutesFamily Journey
Transylvania, RomaniaNetanya, IsraelLexington, Massachusetts
Tel AvivNew York CityTel Aviv
Both Miri and Yoav Polachek were raised eating chopped liver, but decided to share a rendition from Yoav’s family that’s rich and roughly chopped. It comes from Yoav’s mother Ziva, who was born in Poland and survived World War II as a toddler with her mother who escaped from a ghetto near Krakow east to Russia. The family ultimately made their way to Palestine just before the founding of the modern state of Israel. When Yoav went to college to study music in the United States, Ziva prepared a notebook of her recipes for him so that he could make them when he was overseas and missing home. Included in the mix, was her chopped liver.
This recipe was shared by Miri and Yoav Polachek. Read more about their family in " A Stuffed Cabbage Five Generations Strong" and try their recipes for Romanian eggplant salad, and sarmale (Romanian stuffed cabbage).
Ingredients
For the marinated liver
- 2 pounds chicken liver, room temperature
- ¼ cup red wine or sake
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 large light green peppers, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup red wine
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 apple, cored and roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
For the topping:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
Preparation
Step 1
In a medium bowl, add the chicken liver and wine or sake, and sprinkle with salt. Let stand for 10 minutes. Mix, and let stand for 10 more minutes. Strain the liver and discard the marinade.
Step 2
Heat a large skillet on high heat. Once the pan is hot add the oil and then the liver. Saute the liver until golden brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Flip the livers and add the onions and peppers into the pan, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the wine, salt, and pepper and continue cooking, stirring occassionally, until the livers are cooked but still slightly pink inside, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for one hour.
Step 3
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked mixture from the pan to the food processor, avoiding getting any pan liquids into the blender. Add the apple, garlic, parsley, and cilantro. Pulse the blender about 20 times until combined into a chunky mixture. Taste to check the seasoning, and adjust accordingly.
Step 4
Transfer the chopped liver into a serving bowl, or alternately line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, press the chopped liver into the pan, and cover with more plastic wrap. Chill the chopped liver in the refrigerator.
Step 5
In a medium pan heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil and add the chopped onion. Saute over medium-low heat until deeply caramelized, about 30-40 minutes. Set aside.
Step 6
Remove the top layer of plastic wrap from the loaf pan. Place a flat plate over the loaf pan and invert the chopped liver onto the plate using both hands. Sprinkle the caramelized onion over the chopped liver. Serve cold or at room temperature with bread. Liver can be stored for 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Chopped liver can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Caramelized onions can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 1 week, until ready to use.
