Neophyte question - chicken livers

I am making my first chicken liver pate. Picked up a pound of frozen livers at Lincolnwood Produce. Most are normal liver color but several are much paler shade - anyone know if this is a problem? Thanks much,

alriemer

alriemer wrote:I am making my first chicken liver pate. Picked up a pound of frozen livers at Lincolnwood Produce. Most are normal liver color but several are much paler shade - anyone know if this is a problem? Thanks much,

alriemer

Alriemer,

As a one-time maker of pate and current frequent fryer of chicken liver (The Wife likes 'em), I don't believe you have a problem. Some livers may seem to be very very dark red, others almost pink-ish, and I have never noticed a difference in taste.

Are you adding cognac to your pate?

Hammond

No cognac but a couple tablespoons of vodka.

Simmered livers with black pepper, clove, bay leaf.
Pureed with a chopped onion, garlic, ground cloves & nutmeg, vodka and butter.

This is based on Silver Pallet / a half-remembered recipe of my uncle's / what I had on hand.

Refigerated overnight. I am satisfied with the result for a first try.

Thanks
alriemer

But frozen chicken livers? There are so many fresh options available.

Hi,

This month's cookbook club selection was Anthony Bourdain's Appetites: A Cookbook.

My approach to cookbook club is perhaps a bit odd. Some participants use the cookbook throughout the month, they offer weighty and informed thoughts on the book. Me? I go through the book the day-of looking for recipes with ingredients already on hand without going anywhere.

I decided to make the chopped chicken liver, even though it meant leaving home to buy liver, because the instructions stated using a food processor was optional.

The recipe required boiling eggs, then dropping them in an ice water bath. Cook onions slowly to caramelize them, then add to a medium bowl. Quickly sear the chicken livers in batches, then add them to the onions. Chop the eggs (actually I did not bother), then add to the liver and onions.

The chopped came from either using a knife or a mezzaluna to chop and combine the eggs, liver and onions. It was the first time I came to an understanding how chopped chicken livers were made before a food processor or blender. It was ultimately why this recipe was chosen over others who met my criteria for ingredients on hand.

It was another great day learning something new!

Regards,
Cathy2

Any chopped liver recipe that doesn't use extensive amounts of schmaltz is suspect. Also, you MUST pick thru all livers and discard any blue bile sacks.

Jazzfood wrote:Any chopped liver recipe that doesn't use extensive amounts of schmaltz is suspect. Also, you MUST pick thru all livers and discard any blue bile sacks.

He used about a cup of schmaltz for two pounds liver. I was more hung up on the chopping technique.

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:The chopped came from either using a knife or a mezzaluna to chop and combine the eggs, liver and onions. It was the first time I came to an understanding how chopped chicken livers were made before a food processor or blender. It was ultimately why this recipe was chosen over others who met my criteria for ingredients on hand.

My mom's version always used a hand-cranked meat grinder that I don't recall ever being used for anything else.