Matzo Sandwiches with Chopped Liver, Onions, and Egg
Chopped liver has a uniquely earthy umami flavor that knows no equal.
Serves6
Makesabout 3 cups
Prep25 minutes
Cook40 minutes to 50 minutes
A stalwart of Jewish delis everywhere, chopped liver gets a bad rap — famously so. In fact, you probably had the phrase, “What am I, chopped liver?” dance through your head when you clicked on this recipe.
Introduced by Ashkenazi Jews in Alsace-Lorraine in the 11th century, the first chopped liver recipes were for goose liver, a kind of Jewish foie gras; but as chickens replaced geese as the poultry of choice, chicken liver became the standard, and eventually, with the immigration of Eastern European Jews to the United States, chopped liver arrived on the East Coast where it became quintessential deli fare.
It’s a shame that chopped liver is so maligned because, as its devotees will attest, chopped liver has a uniquely earthy umami flavor that knows no equal. The combination of the rich, meaty liver and the sweet, caramelized onion and shallot is one I crave year-round, although I only enjoy it once a year. It’s a cornerstone of my family’s Passover Seder (over the years, we’ve adapted to include a vegan mock chopped liver as well), and I couldn’t imagine the meal without a healthy portion slathered on matzo and topped with a sinus-clearing dollop of horseradish.
Here, I’ve taken those elements and added extra hard-boiled egg, red onion, and parsley, all of which come together to create a savory, satisfying Passover lunch. If you have a little extra charoset (a mixture of apples, walnuts, and kosher wine meant to symbolize the mortar the Jews used to build the pyramids) hanging around in the fridge, who am I to stop you from adding it to the mix? If you do, you’ll be riffing on the Hillel sandwich, combining the sweet with the bitter and adding extra savoriness for good measure. I usually eat this particular sandwich open-faced, but feel free to top yours with an extra sheet of matzo for the full effect.
Matzo Sandwiches with Chopped Liver, Onions and Egg Recipe
Chopped liver has a uniquely earthy umami flavor that knows no equal.
Prep time 25 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes to 50 minutes
Makes about 3 cups
Serves 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the chopped liver:
- 1
large yellow onion
- 1
medium shallot
- 2 cloves
garlic
- 1 pound
chicken livers
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons
schmaltz or olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup
kosher for Passover white wine (something like this is great)
- 2
large hard-boiled eggs
For 6 sandwiches:
- 1/2
medium red onion
- 1/2 bunch
fresh parsley
- 6
large hard-boiled eggs
- 3/4 cup
prepared horseradish
- 6 to 12 sheets
matzo
Instructions
Make the chopped liver:
Thinly slice 1 large yellow onion (about 4 cups) and 1 medium shallot (about 1/2 cup) and place in the same bowl. Mince 2 garlic cloves.
Using kitchen shears, remove any connective tissue or blood clots from 1 pound chicken livers. Pat dry with paper towels. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon schmaltz or oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add half the chicken livers and sauté, flipping them once or twice, until firm enough to have a little give when pressed with a spoon but still slightly pink in the middle, 4 to 6 minutes total. (They will continue to cook off the heat.) Transfer to a medium bowl and repeat cooking the remaining livers.
If the pan is dry, add the remaining 1 tablespoon schmaltz or olive oil and heat over low heat. Add the onions and shallot, spread into an even layer, and cook undisturbed for 10 minutes. Stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until a caramelized brown color, 15 to 25 minutes more. If they begin to stick to the pan, add a teaspoon of water.
Add 1/4 cup white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
Scrape the mixture into the bowl with the chicken livers and stir to combine. Working in batches, coarsely chop the liver mixture to your desired consistency. Return to the bowl. Peel and chop 2 hard boiled eggs to your desired consistency. Add to the chicken liver mixture and stir to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed, noting that the seasonings will mellow after refrigeration so it should be very well-seasoned.
Transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 24 hours.
Assemble the sandwiches:
Thinly slice 1/2 medium red onion (about 1 cup). Pick and chop the leaves from 1/2 bunch fresh parsley until you have about 1/3 generous cup. Peel and dice 1 large hard-boiled egg for each sandwich you plan on making.
For each sandwich, spread 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish on 1 sheet matzo. Spread 1/2 cup chopped liver over the matzo. Sprinkle with 1 diced egg, 2 tablespoons of the red onion, and about 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Top with a second sheet of matzo if desired.
Recipe Notes
Food processor: To chop the liver mixture with a food processor, quarter each liver and coarsely chop the onions and eggs. Place together in a food processor and pulse, scraping down the bowl using a flexible spatula as needed, until the mixture is coarsely chopped.
Storage: The chopped liver can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.