Chopped Liver with Gribenes

Serves 6 to 8

This is not your grandmother’s chopped liver—I could never handle that kind of competition. But it is a very simple recipe, and with a little finesse, you can have the smoothest “chopped” liver in the land, a pâté that’s a great introduction to liver for people who find it too, well, liver-y. By baking the mixture in a water bath, you prevent the metallic, organ-y flavors that come from overcooked liver. Caramelized onions lend their savory sweetness to the livers. I use schmaltz in this recipe, but you can easily substitute melted butter. One benefit of rendering your own schmaltz is the gribenes (chicken cracklings) that are left over. I like them here to provide a nice crunchy contrast to the super-creamy chopped liver.

• chopped liver
• 1 pound chicken livers
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons Caramelized Onions (see recipe)
• ½ pound schmaltz (see recipe or store-bought) or melted butter
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
•   Simple Sumac Onions (see recipe), for serving
• gribenes
•   Skins from 2 chicken breasts
•   Kosher salt
•   Ground sumac (see sidebar)
•   Challah (see recipe or store-bought), toasted, for serving

● For the chopped liver: Preheat the oven to 275°F. Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and set aside.

● Combine the chicken livers, eggs, and caramelized onions in a blender and puree until perfectly smooth. Force the mixture through a mesh strainer into a bowl. (You’ll have about 2 tablespoons of undesirable bits left over in the strainer. Discard them.) Return the mixture to the blender, add the schmaltz or butter and salt, and puree until perfectly smooth.

● Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan, press a rectangle of parchment paper onto the surface, and cover with aluminum foil. Set the loaf pan on a rack inside a roasting pan. Fill the roasting pan with just-boiled water so that it comes halfway up the sides of the loaf pan. Bake until the pâté is just set but still wiggles slightly at the center when shaken, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

● For the gribenes: Put the chicken skins in a small skillet over medium heat with enough water to just cover. Bring to a boil to render the fat and continue cooking until the water has evaporated and the chicken skin is crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain off the fat (schmaltz) and reserve for another use. Season the skin well with salt and sumac and then crumble.

● To serve: Slice the pâté and serve on challah toast topped with sumac onions and gribenes.