Chopped liver (Yiddish: געהאַקטע לעבער, gehakte leber) is a liver pâté popular in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. This dish is a common menu item in kosher Jewish delicatessens in Britain, Canada, South Africa, Argentina and the United States.
Chopped liver with egg
| |
| Alternative names | Gehakte leber |
|---|---|
| Course | Hors d'oeuvre |
| Associated cuisine | Ashkenazi Jewish |
| Main ingredients | Liver, onions, schmaltz |
The dish is often made by sautéing or broiling liver and onions, adding hard-boiled eggs, salt and pepper, and grinding that mixture. The liver used is generally veal, beef, or chicken.[1]
The quintessential fat used is schmaltz, but different methods and materials exist, and the exact process and ingredients may vary from chef to chef.[2]
Chopped liver is often served on matzah, or with rye breadassandwiches.[3]
Chopped liver is high in protein, but also high in fat and cholesterol. There are low-fat, mock and vegetarian alternatives, often made of a combination of peas, lentils, string beans, eggplant, or mushrooms.[4]
Since eating chopped liver may not be appreciated by everyone, the Jewish English expression "What am I, chopped liver?" signifies frustration or anger at being ignored on a social level.[citation needed]
An explanation of the expression is that chopped liver was traditionally served as a side dish rather than a main course. The phrase therefore may have originally expressed a feeling of being overlooked, as a "side dish".[5][better source needed]
The origin of the expression is difficult to trace, with many spoken references in older television, comedy and cinema not written down.[citation needed]
