When it comes to Jewish cuisine, there's one dish that tends to divide opinions like no other: chopped liver. Some people swear by it as a comforting reminder of their ancestors' traditional meals, while others can't stand the thought of it. But whether you love it or hate it, there's no denying that chopped liver has earned a place of honor on the tables of traditional Ashkenazi families for generations.
Origins
This controversial spread, beloved by some yet abhorred by others, is made with cooked and seasoned liver and often served as an appetizer or spread, has a long and storied history in Jewish cuisine.
The history of the chopped liver can be traced back to the early days of Ashkenazi Jewish culture in Eastern Europe. Wealthy Jewish farmers who grew geese wanted to put every part of the poultry to use, so turning the liver, a usually discarded organ, into a tasty spread was both resourceful and delicious.
As the dish began to gain notoriety, and less fortunate households started to make the dish themselves, goose liver was swapped with chicken liver for affordability. In a time when food was scarce, and resources were limited, Jews had to be creative in their cooking.
The Rise of Liver
It was not until the early 20th century, however, that chopped liver truly came into its own as a cultural delicacy. With the rise of delicatessens in major cities like New York and Chicago, Jewish immigrants began enjoying chicken based chopped liver alongside other traditional dishes like gefilte fish and pickled herring.
One of the key ingredients in traditional chopped liver is schmaltz or rendered chicken fat. This rich and flavorful ingredient gives the spread its characteristic taste and texture and has been a staple in Jewish cooking for centuries, when olive oil was expensive and butter wasn’t allowed to be cooked with meat.
Despite Schmaltz being one of the main ingredients in Chopped Liver, in recent years, its use has become a point of contention among some Jewish food enthusiasts. Some argue that the high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol in schmaltz make it unhealthy, and have begun using vegetable oils or other alternatives in their chopped liver recipes. While others argue that what gives chopped liver its special flavor is the schmaltz. I leave it for you to decide.
Whether served as a spread on matzah or bread or as a topping for a hearty sandwich, chopped liver is a versatile spread which actually boasts many health benefits. Liver is one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet, filled with iron, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and copper. Eating even a single serving of chopped liver can help you meet your daily recommended amount of most of these vitamins and minerals, which is one of the reasons it became such an important dish for Eastern European Jews.
Different Variations
While Pâté and Foie Gras have illustrious reputations as rich and expensive french appetizers, the humble chopped liver never reached the same level of prominence.
The similarities are obvious when looking at the ingredients, but some Rabbis took issue with Foie Gras based on ethical grounds that required the bird to be force-fed before its preparation. So the Jewish version began to be made with chicken livers.
An interesting way of preparing Chopped Liver is by adding Gribenes. Gribenes are the crispy cracklings created when you render schmaltz from chicken skin. They’re often referred to as “Jewish bacon.” While not necessary in chopped liver, adding Gribenes to the dish adds some texture and crunch and has become a unique way of preparing chopped liver that Bubbes have adopted through the years.
Modern culinary innovators have taken the controversial classic and added their own flair. For New York’s hip meat-packing district chopped liver is served on a bed of organic arugula, with crispy Shiitake mushrooms alongside a sourdough baguette. In Philadelphia you can find it nestled between diced tomatoes and artichokes. For each person chopped liver has a different meaning.
What Am I?
Learn about the origins of the phrase here.
The idiom "What am I chopped liver?" comes from the idea that chopped liver receives less attention or consideration than something else. And in a way that's true.
Almost every Jew has enjoyed a bagel, chowed down on brisket, or eaten cholent. But so many are averse to the contentious light brown spread. It's time to give the chopped liver its well-deserved time in the spotlight as a unique spread packed with flavor that has been patiently waiting its turn for centuries.
So the next time you're at a Jewish gathering and someone offers you a scoop of this polarizing spread, don't knock it until you try it. Who knows, you might just become a chopped liver convert.
