Author Notes
Growing up, I was always happy to be in the kitchen with my Grandmother. This holiday staple was one of the first foods I helped with. I peeled hard boiled eggs as a toddler. As a youngster, I hand chopped (with a mezzaluna) the eggs. And as soon as I could handle a knife, I had to mince a pile of onions. My treat at the end was always the gribenes, a heart-stopping dish of cracklin’s from rendering chicken fat, served on a piece of holiday challah. Now that I’m all grown up and not keeping kosher, I’ve amended the recipe to substitute butter for the schmaltz and doused it all with a little booze. —MrsWheelbarrow
Ingredients
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6
eggs, hard boiled & peeled
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1 pound
yellow skinned onions, minced fine
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3 ounces
unsalted butter
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1 tablespoon
grapeseed oil (substitute canola or safflower)
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1/2 pound
livers from pastured, free range chickens
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2 tablespoons
Cognac, dry sherry, white vermouth, or Calvados
Directions
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Chop the eggs very fine using a mezzaluna or the food processor. They should be fluffy. Put in a large bowl and set aside.
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In a large, heavy sauté pan, heat half the butter with the oil. Add the onions and sauté slowly until richly browned, but not burned. Salt and pepper generously while they cook.
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In the meantime, rinse and clean the livers well, removing connective sinew and anything yucky looking.
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When the onions have finished cooking, put them in the bowl with the eggs.
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Heat 1 oz butter in the onion pan and saute the livers until no pink remains. Do not brown or crisp. It’s alright if they break up a bit. Salt and pepper generously.
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Remove the livers from the pan and deglaze with the booze. Pour the deglazing liquid into the bowl with the eggs and onions.
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Chop the livers with a mezzaluna (or use the food processor) and then gently fold the eggs, onions and livers together.
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Test and correct for seasoning. The flavor really blooms after chilling, so make this well in advance.
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Pack in ramekins or other serving dishes. Keep the dishes small – 4 oz – and make sure to freeze whatever will not be used within two days.
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