What am I, Chopped Liver?
Not quite, but I am a first-time blogger. For the past year or two, I have been trying to spend more time with my grandmother Mushka on Sundays to learn her recipes. She has been less able to cook on her own and I am determined to learn them all and continue in her place. I haven't managed to cook with her as much as I should, and I'm starting this blog to make sure I record everything.
Mushka was raised Jewish in Lwow (formerly Poland, now the Ukraine), learned to cook when she married my grandfather, a Czech non-jew, at the end of World War II, and has been the family expert ever since, coaching me and my mom through all our cooking dilemmas. I grew up loving her cooking - I put on 10 pounds every summer I spent with my grandparents, which was every summer until I started high school. Her soups, her stews, her cakes, her Christmas cookies are all legendary, and in most cases surprisingly simple to make once you know how.
I spent today cooking two Passover standards with my grandmother: chopped liver and mandelbread. Chopped liver is something I loved as a child but haven't been able to eat it in years. I have finally figured out that this is due entirely to my dislike of hard-boiled eggs, and if you share my sentiments, you may want to use less (or none!) when you try this recipe. I have a very successful Jewish holiday system going with my husband, in which I eat his gefilte fish (of which he is not overly fond) in exchange for him getting my chopped liver. But cooking it today, and tasting it warm and freshly whipped together, I have to say that I think I'm growing back into it. Soon I may try my own, sans eggs, and see how it turns out.
To start, you'll want to thinly slice 2 medium or 1+1/2 large onions. Start frying them in a large frying pan with a generous amount of canola or vegetable oil on a medium-low flame. You'll need to cook them slowly for about 30 minutes. You should still have plenty of oil left in the pan.
At the same time, you'll need to prep your livers! This time around we used two pint containers of livers I bought with my mom at Fairway in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where we do all our ritual meal shopping. I think it came out to about two pounds. You need to trim the little fatty bits off, then rinse them well in a sieve under cool water. When they're ready, you can toss them in with the onions and turn the heat up to medium. Add 1-2 tsp of salt (you can always add more). At the same time, if you choose to use eggs, you should hard-boil 6 eggs. Toss them (gently!) into a saucepan and fill it with cold water until just covered. Bring them to a boil, boil 10 minutes, and then dump the water and leave them under cold water until they're totally cooled. Peel them and set them aside until you're ready.
By now your livers and onions should be well under way. Cook them until they are no longer bloody inside, but be careful not to overcook or they will turn out tough.
Once they're done, whip out your food processor. My grandmother deserves congratulations for keeping her ancient model in good working order. It may be older than I am! We tossed in half the livers and onions plus all the juices, half the eggs, chopped, and pulsed a few times. Push down the sides with your spatula, give it another few pulses and you should be all set. Repeat with the other half, if you're using a food processor as small as this one.
Once it's all blended, transfer it to a bowl and add some freshly ground pepper, and more salt to taste.
I have to say it tasted really excellent today. I think I finally understand what all the fuss is about.
Next post....MANDELBREAD!
Mushka was raised Jewish in Lwow (formerly Poland, now the Ukraine), learned to cook when she married my grandfather, a Czech non-jew, at the end of World War II, and has been the family expert ever since, coaching me and my mom through all our cooking dilemmas. I grew up loving her cooking - I put on 10 pounds every summer I spent with my grandparents, which was every summer until I started high school. Her soups, her stews, her cakes, her Christmas cookies are all legendary, and in most cases surprisingly simple to make once you know how.
I spent today cooking two Passover standards with my grandmother: chopped liver and mandelbread. Chopped liver is something I loved as a child but haven't been able to eat it in years. I have finally figured out that this is due entirely to my dislike of hard-boiled eggs, and if you share my sentiments, you may want to use less (or none!) when you try this recipe. I have a very successful Jewish holiday system going with my husband, in which I eat his gefilte fish (of which he is not overly fond) in exchange for him getting my chopped liver. But cooking it today, and tasting it warm and freshly whipped together, I have to say that I think I'm growing back into it. Soon I may try my own, sans eggs, and see how it turns out.
To start, you'll want to thinly slice 2 medium or 1+1/2 large onions. Start frying them in a large frying pan with a generous amount of canola or vegetable oil on a medium-low flame. You'll need to cook them slowly for about 30 minutes. You should still have plenty of oil left in the pan.
At the same time, you'll need to prep your livers! This time around we used two pint containers of livers I bought with my mom at Fairway in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where we do all our ritual meal shopping. I think it came out to about two pounds. You need to trim the little fatty bits off, then rinse them well in a sieve under cool water. When they're ready, you can toss them in with the onions and turn the heat up to medium. Add 1-2 tsp of salt (you can always add more). At the same time, if you choose to use eggs, you should hard-boil 6 eggs. Toss them (gently!) into a saucepan and fill it with cold water until just covered. Bring them to a boil, boil 10 minutes, and then dump the water and leave them under cold water until they're totally cooled. Peel them and set them aside until you're ready.
By now your livers and onions should be well under way. Cook them until they are no longer bloody inside, but be careful not to overcook or they will turn out tough.
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| Here they are all done! |
Once they're done, whip out your food processor. My grandmother deserves congratulations for keeping her ancient model in good working order. It may be older than I am! We tossed in half the livers and onions plus all the juices, half the eggs, chopped, and pulsed a few times. Push down the sides with your spatula, give it another few pulses and you should be all set. Repeat with the other half, if you're using a food processor as small as this one.
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| Lookin' good... |
Once it's all blended, transfer it to a bowl and add some freshly ground pepper, and more salt to taste.
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| The finished product! |
Next post....MANDELBREAD!
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