My posts will likely be hit or miss well into the next month. My anemia is quite overwhelming at times, and I spend a lot of time watching Law & Order, drifting in and out of consciousness. (This I know to be true: much as I love you Chris Noth, Vincent D'onofrio is simply amazing, with his updated Columbo act.) My GYN doctor informed me that a hysterectomy looms in the near future. I'll have to be transfused for that, because my hemoglobin is so low. So, my time is now spent trying to eat iron rich foods, along with my odious iron supplements. Naturally, if you're thinking of eating food packed with iron, liver is right at the top of the list. I hated it as a kid, and my mom never forced me to eat it, after I threw up her (by all accounts) wonderful liver and onions.
I'm still not crazy about it, but decided to make some chopped chicken liver. It was easy and fast to make, and was a major part of my diet for the last two days. For a liver hater, I found it.....sort of good. Liver lovers might enjoy it a great deal more than me. As I ate this, on matzo of course, I thought of my sister. She loved chicken livers, and would have made little noises of pleasure as she gobbled it down.
While chicken livers are very high in iron, they're equally high in cholesterol. So, I hope to score some nice bison this weekend. Bison burgers anyone?
OK, I'm sure one of the Law & Order franchises is on right now.
Chopped Chicken Livers
(Williams Sonoma)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 lb. chicken livers
1 tsp. minced garlic
3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Matzo for serving
Directions:
In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the 1/2 cup oil. Add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
If needed, add more oil to the pan, then add the chicken livers and cook, turning occasionally, until they are no longer pink, 3 to 5 minutes; do not overcook. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
In a food processor, combine the onion, chicken livers, garlic and hard-cooked eggs and pulse until well chopped but not pureed. Transfer to a serving bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Accompany with matzo. Serves 6.
Ever since I was a kid, I was prone to anemia so my mom was always trying to find ways to make liver appealing. I am not a fan of calves liver, but chopped liver liked you made is something I still crave. When I have tried to make it myself, I was never quite able to capture the same flavor my mom or grandmother's versions had. One a whim, I soaked the chicken livers in milk over night. A lot of the gamey flavor that alwasy makes me dislike liver was gone and the cats loved the pink milk. ;)
Mussels, clams and oysters are also great sources of iron. Bok Choy is too and something I read says vitamin c helps with absorbtion.
I hope you get to feeling better - I know how awful it can get.
Posted by: k | June 21, 2008 at 01:21 AM
oof Sher, life is piling it on right now. As I had bouts of anemia as a child I remember vividly that my mom used to try making me eat grilled liver (onions on the side) Yuck!
I think K is right here, I recall my grandmom soaking liver in milk. Take care sweetie!
Posted by: Baking Soda | June 21, 2008 at 03:07 AM
I loved chopped liver as a kid, but only the way my family made it -- with a larger proportion of eggs and onions to a smaller proportion of liver. It was really the caramelized onions that made it taste so good. Of course, with the eggs and liver, it's definitely not a low-cholesterol dish, but much tastier than eating a slab of liver on a plate (ugh). Oh, and I'll take Chris Noth any day!
Posted by: Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) | June 21, 2008 at 04:25 AM
Eat that liver! You have to get healthy. In college I used to live on deep-fried chicken livers from KFC. Too bad they don't sell them any more; they were totally delicious. Other than that I've never been a huge liver fan either. Maybe some cilantro on the liver would help.
Posted by: Kalyn | June 21, 2008 at 05:49 AM
How about a homemade pâté with lots of iron rich veggies mixed in? Maybe that makes it more of an antipasto? Does such a thing exist?
I'm just thinking out loud here. I haven't eaten liver for years... except the occasional store bought goose liver pâté.
Get well! And as a suggestion for those laid-up-on-the-couch moments: DVDs The Wire (HBO). I like Dominic West just as much as D'Onofrio!
Posted by: Avra | June 21, 2008 at 08:58 AM
That big bowl of chopped liver looks delectable to me- but I like chicken livers. I once had a warm cl salad at Chez Panisse. They were carmalized in some kind of brandy-butter sauce, lots of onions...Not a bad way to get your iron.
Posted by: Callipygia | June 21, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Years ago I was a little anemic when I was pregnant and I remember that one of the foods on the list was pumpkin seeds. I always thought that seemed like a more appealing way to get iron than eating liver.
Hope you feel better soon!
Posted by: Julie | June 21, 2008 at 12:01 PM
I will not complain about having to take more iron pills as I'm not sure that I could stand making chopped chicken liver (there is only one local restaurant where I will eat liver and onions because they serve it with bacon). I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by: Mrs. L | June 21, 2008 at 02:07 PM
Oh, dear, Sher, that does not sound easy. I could not eat liver, no matter what. I ran in to the same issue two years ago when I had a knee replacement and needed to donate blood beforehand. I couldn't do it. I since have my levels back up but I had a terrible time with fainting, etc.
I found a supplement called Gentle Iron at my natural food store.
Lots of wishes that you will feel better soon. Hope you are getting lots of kitty love.
Posted by: Cape Cod Kitty | June 21, 2008 at 05:02 PM
I really feel for you on the iron pills. I've had to take them too in the past and they suck big time! But how fun to get to eat some of those foods we normally shy away from because of the saturated fat and calories--yes! Right now the iron is the priority over the sat fat. Let's see, braunsweiger pate? I can't remember if you like braunsweiger or not but that's my run-to liver.
Hope you get to feeling more like yourself soon!
Posted by: Glenna | June 21, 2008 at 10:44 PM
I love chopped liver and matzoh!!! The kind of food which I'd love to eat with the summery temperatures we are having... Delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Posted by: Rosa | June 22, 2008 at 09:03 AM
My Dad used to grill chicken livers back in the day..I so want to try that one day
Posted by: jgonski | June 22, 2008 at 06:57 PM
I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago due to excessive fibroids and I have never been happier. Getting through it was rough but the outcome and the relief was well worth it.
I do hope you begin to feel better soon. I will keep my fingers crossed.
Posted by: Kate | June 24, 2008 at 07:57 AM
You can order bison from some of the major wild life or sportsmans store. I believe Cabellas offers it and I know some of the others do as well; but I must warn you, it is very expensive. Good luck with all the surgery and health problems and good luck finding the bison.
Posted by: Fred | July 02, 2008 at 02:19 PM
Let's see: I agree with you about Law & Order - love Vincent D.
I live in the land of foie gras so eating liver is not a problem for me - well, too much is. Have you tried any of the pate's at the deli - if available? Some are really quite good!
As to the hysterectomy - best thing I ever did... I was out of hospital in 2 days (yes, it was complete, through the abdomen) and hiking in 5 weeks. Such freedom! Wish I had done it years earlier... Not that anyone would have, but, still...
Posted by: katie | July 07, 2008 at 02:48 AM
I found your blog looking for information on anemia. I just had a double mastectomy and unfortunately had to have a blood transfusion to go with it. My doctor has me on iron supplements right which is great except now I can't poo. Thanks for the tip on the chopped liver. Will head out and get some tomorrow, calories be damned. LOVE Vincent D'onofrio. As I recuperate I've been watching tons of Criminal Intent. Will check out more of the blog. Thanks!
Posted by: Tracy | July 08, 2008 at 09:09 PM
Yep, after feeling VERY weak and exhausted for 4 days I realised I'd not eaten any red meat for a while. A cooking session of the old famous chopped chicken liver sorted me out.
I stumbled across this page as I was slightly perturbed when I offered some to a friend who turned their nose up at my 'pate' as it had egg in it, plus it wasn't a thin spreadable paste! (Maybe like French pates.)
So, it's good to confirm and see that someone else makes their chopped chicken liver to the same consistency as I do!
It's also interesting to see that some add garlic. I love garlic, but was taught to do this dish without it. (Maybe as it's a dish aimed for kids aswell.)
Posted by: Roxanna | November 02, 2008 at 02:46 AM
A friend of mine treated me to her recipe for delicous chicken liver. Fattening maybe, but they taste very good.
Aniko's Chicken Livers
Rinse chicken livers.
Coat each piece with white flour.
Beat one egg, dip each liver in the egg.
Coat each piece with breadcrumbs.
Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium-high heat.
Pan fry livers in olive oil 'til golden brown and cooked through.
Drain fat and cool on paper towels or old newspapers.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
YUM!
Posted by: Cynthia Ross | May 22, 2009 at 01:52 AM