Chopped liver

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Chopped liver
ChoppedLiver.jpg
Chopped liver with egg
Alternative namesGehakte leber
CourseHors d'oeuvre
Associated national cuisineAshkenazi Jewish
Main ingredientsLiver, onions, schmaltz

Chopped liver (Yiddish: געהאַקטע לעבער, gehakte leber) is a liver pâté popular in Ashkenazic cuisine. This dish is a common menu item in kosher Jewish delicatessens in Britain, Canada, South Africa, and the United States.

Preparation and serving[]

The dish is often made by sautéing or broiling liver and onions, adding hard-boiled eggs, salt and pepper, and grinding that mixture. Occasionally, green onions are also used. The liver used is generally calf, beef, or chicken.[1]

The quintessential fat used is schmaltz, but different methods and materials exist, and the exact process and ingredients may vary from chef to chef.[2]

Chopped liver is often served on matzah, or with rye bread as sandwiches.[3]

  • Chopped liver

  • A chopped liver meal

Variations and alternatives[]

Chopped liver is high in protein, but also high in fat and cholesterol. There are low-fat, mock and vegetarian alternatives, often made of a combination of peas, string beans, eggplant, or mushrooms.[4]

Chopped liver as an expression[]

Since eating chopped liver may not be appreciated by everyone, the Jewish English expression "What am I, chopped liver?" signifies frustration or anger at being ignored on a social level.[citation needed]

An explanation of the expression is that chopped liver was traditionally served as a side dish rather than a main course. The phrase therefore may have originally expressed a feeling of being overlooked, as a "side dish".[5][better source needed]

The origin of the expression is difficult to trace, with many spoken references in older television, comedy and cinema not written down.[citation needed]

Similar dishes[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Chopped Liver - Traditional Jewish Recipe". Tori Avey. 2018-09-04. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  2. ^ "Great Chopped Liver". Canadian Jewish News. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  3. ^ "This Mock 'Chopped Liver' Is Even Better Than the Original | Institute of Culinary Education". www.ice.edu. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  4. ^ Vegetarian Chopped Liver (Pareve) http://kosherfood.about.com/od/vegetarianmaindishes/r/vegie_chopliver.htm
  5. ^ Ask the Rabbi: What Am I, Chopped Liver? at Ohr Somayach
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