Let’s talk about chopped liver. (I’ll bet that’s the first time you
had that invitation!) Chopped liver is one of the quintessential Jewish
dishes by which every Jewish cook judges her or himself. In fact, many
good cooks of other persuasions also regard it as a test of their cooking
agility. “You should taste my chopped liver; it’s the best!” declared
my Chinese friend Margaret, as we stood in a bagel shop in Annapolis, Maryland picking
up the wonderful bialyes that they sell there. “No, no, Margaret,” I said. “You
should taste my chopped liver!”
Bubbe Lottie was no exception. She thought that hers was the best. In
fact, she was so persuaded of that idea, that year after year she would plop
down a large plate of liver in front of my son who, 1) was a vegetarian,
and 2) hated chopped liver.
“Bubbe,” he would say, “I don’t eat chopped liver.” “But, my chopped
liver is so good, how can you not eat it?” she would ask him. “Bubbe,”
he would say patiently, “I hate chopped liver and on top of that,
I don’t eat meat.” “But, it’s so good,” she would say, shaking her head
as she removed the dish. “Besides, this vegetarian business is ridiculous…you’ll
starve to death!”
A few more words about chopped liver. The best is made from chicken
livers. They are the most tender and the best flavored. Good chopped
liver requires that you taste it while making it, for it has to have just
the right balance of ingredients and only an educated tongue can determine
that. Some people like to leave their onions raw, rather than sautéing
them. The only time I ate it that way, I was a kid and the onion was
very strong and I became violently ill in the car on the way home, so you
can guess how I stand on the question of raw versus cooked. Some people like
to add ½ cup of peanut butter to the recipe. I never tasted it
that way, but it might be good as a party appetizer.
Chopped Liver
Mock Chopped Liver
Boston Baked Beans and Brisket
Bubbe's Stuffed Veal Breast
Curried Veal with Apples and Peaches
Emma's Amazing Stuffed Cabbbage
Fruited Pot Roast
Meat Loaf
Porcupine Meatballs
Sweet and Spicy Short Ribs
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