Chopped liver

Tam West

Traditionally served as a side dish, the phrase "What am I, chopped liver?" expresses the feeling that one is being overlooked, as this rustic side dish might be. But look again and this chicken liver, apricot, egg and nut pate is a sweet, crunchy winner. If you prefer a creamier texture, blitz all in the food processor to desired smoothness. This recipe has been recreated from the 50th anniversary edition of the Menorah Cookbook

Ingredients

1 dash	Olive oil, for cooking
1 small knob	Butter, for cooking
150 g	Apricot halves, tinned, approx. 12 halves, chopped (Main)
1	Onion, finely chopped
75 g	Hazelnuts, or Brazil nuts, toasted and crushed
500 g	Chicken livers, cleaned and dried (Main)
¼ cup	Port, or use a good red wine
4	Eggs, hard-boiled (Main)
¼ cup	Finely chopped parsley
1 serving	Quick pickled red onions, see recipe below

Quick pickled red onion

¼ cup	Tarragon vinegar, or cider vinegar
1 tsp	Sugar
2	Black peppercorns
1	Small red onion, finely chopped (Main)

Directions

1. Heat a pour of olive oil with a knob of butter in a heavy-based frying pan. Add onion and fry gently until fragrant. Add apricots, along with a good pour of the apricot juice, and cook to reduce the liquor. The onion should still have a crunch to it. Remove from heat and cool. Toss with the nuts.
2. Reheat pan with olive oil and a generous knob of butter until foaming. Working in stages (so as not to crowd the pan) add chicken livers, season with salt and pepper and gently fry to colour them. Turn and cook until just firm, then remove to cool. Deglaze the hot pan with the wine, reduce by half and stir to collect all the brown bits, then cool and pour over livers.
3. Coarsely chop up the livers and 3 of the eggs, and fold into the onion mix. Adjust seasoning, and chill until ready to serve.
4. Pile liver on to a plate and generously garnish with pickled onions, parsley, and the finely grated fourth egg. Spread on to toasted challah bread or bagels, or serve with matzo crackers.

More from the Menorah Cookbook

• Greys Ave Deli potato latkes
• Gifilte fish balls
• Sour cream sauce