Schmaltz, Gribenes and Chopped Liver

(serves 6–8 as an appetizer)

skin and fat from about 10 chick­en thighs (or about 8 oz. ran­dom chick­en skin and fat, saved up or from your butcher)

¼ cup water

1 tbsp butter

1 lb. organ­ic chick­en liv­ers, trimmed of all sinew and membranes

1 large white onion, fine­ly minced

3 eggs, hard-boiled

salt and pep­per to taste

Place the chick­en skin and fat in a fry­ing pan big enough to accom­mo­date them in one lay­er.  Pour over water.  Sim­mer very low for as long as it takes for the skin to give up all its fat and become crispy, like bacon.  This will take at least 90 min­utes.  When the skin is crispy, lift it out onto paper tow­els and reserve.  These are called the “gribenes.”  The fat left behind is the “schmaltz.”  Liq­uid gold.

While the skins are sim­mer­ing, melt the but­ter in anoth­er fry­ing pan and sauté the chick­en liv­ers in a sin­gle lay­er, turn­ing as need­ed until ful­ly cooked.  If you do not have a hand-min­cer, chop the liv­ers fine­ly and place in a large bowl.

Chop the hard-boiled eggs fine­ly and add to the livers.

If you do have a hand-min­cer, pass the liv­ers and eggs whole through the min­cer into a large bowl.

When the gribenes are ready, sauté the minced onion in the schmaltz until they just begin to brown.  Add them and the schmaltz to the liv­ers and eggs and sea­son to taste.  Chill the mix­ture for at least 3 hours.  Serve with rye bread, and pick­les if you like.  My friend Alyssa reports that chopped liv­er is quite won­der­ful on Ritz crack­ers too, but rye bread is traditional.