Unicorn (Unicorn@Indenial.com)
Tue, 23 Mar 1999 18:01:14 -0500
The Sunday school teacher was carefully explaining the story of
Elijah the Prophet and the false prophets of Baal. She explained how
Elijah built the altar, put wood upon it, cut the steer in pieces and
laid it upon the altar. And then Elijah commanded the people of God
to fill four barrels of water and pour it over the altar. He had
them do this four times.
"Now, said the teacher, "can anyone in the class tell me why the
Lord would have Elijah pour water over the steer on the altar?"
A little girl in the back of the room raised her hand with great
enthusiasm. "To make the gravy," came her enthusiastic reply.
If it is reasonable to say that something is "as American as apple
pie", then I believe it is also reasonable to say "as Jewish as
chopped liver", because this is without a doubt the most famous of all
Jewish dishes, and one of the Jewish people's greatest contributions
to the gastronomic world. France's famous pate de foie gras is
modeled on this Jewish dish, and the Alsatian farmers who developed
the technique of breeding and fattening geese for their livers in the
17th century were Jews. Although chicken or goose fat is
traditionally used to fry the onions, this version uses vegetable oil
in what may be the most recent evolutionary step for this ancient
dish.
Chopped Liver
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbs (45 ml) vegetable oil
1/2 lb (250 g) chicken livers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped
Fry the onion in the vegetable oil in a saute pan over low heat,
stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. Let cool. Season the
livers with salt and pepper and place them on a baking sheet covered
with aluminum foil. Broil or grill, turning once, until the livers
are firm and have changed color, and let them cool. Combine the
livers and onion in an electric food processor and process until
coarsely chopped. Add the chopped egg, reserving 3 tablespoons (45
ml) to be used as garnish, and mix by hand with the liver mixture.
Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, and place chopped liver
mixture in a serving bowl. Smooth the surface with a small spatula or
the back of a spoon, and sprinkle the reserved chopped egg on top.
Serve with slices of rye bread, crackers, pita, or French bread.
Serves 4 to 6.
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