|
Chopped
liver
Chopped liver is a spread
popular in Jewish cuisine.
It is often made by sautéeing
liver and onions in schmaltz
(i.e., rendered animal fat);
adding hard-boiled eggs,
salt and pepper to the sautéed
liver and onions, and grinding
that mixture. However other
methods and materials exist
and so the exact process
and ingredients may vary
from chef to chef.
Chopped liver is a common
menu item in Kosher delicatessens
in the U.S. and Canada.
Chopped liver is often served
with rye bread as sandwiches.
The liver used is generally
calves' liver or chicken
liver. Shortening or oil
is often substituted for
the schmaltz.
Chopped
Liver Recipes
Variations
Because of the liver, chopped
liver is high in protein
but also high in fat and
cholesterol. Thus, low fat,
mock, and vegetarian versions
of chopped liver exist that
are frequently made of a
combination or base of peas,
string beans, eggplant,
or mushrooms.
Chopped liver in popular
culture
Because of its unusual taste
and gray appearance, it
is an acquired taste and
not a favorite or comfort
food with everyone at the
dinner table. This has given
rise to the popular Jewish-American
expression "What am
I, chopped liver?",
signifying frustration or
anger at being ignored on
a social level.
An alternate explanation
for the etymology of the
"What am I, chopped
liver?" expression
is that chopped liver was
traditionally served as
a side dish rather than
a main course. The phrase,
therefore may have originally
meant to express a feeling
of being overlooked, as
a "side dish." |
