This Rich Hanukkah Appetizer Has Been A Tradition In Andrew Zimmern's Family For A Century

With plenty to celebrate in the wintertime, planning out a family feast is no small task. Chef Andrew Zimmern knows quite a bit about both bizarre foods and entertaining for a festive gathering. Among the wide variety of delicious Hanukkah foods from around the world, one of his favorite appetizers is, itself, a unique delicacy to those who are unfamiliar. "If you want to cook like a baller Jewish grandmother," Zimmern explained on his website, "this chopped chicken liver is a great place to start."

This is one food you'll commonly find at a Jewish deli, as well as on the dinner table at many Hanukkah meals. Known as the "Festival of Lights," the Jewish holiday celebrates warmth, family, and community through food, storytelling, and remembrance. "When I was a kid, I would spend hours upon hours in my Jewish grandmother's kitchen, watching her cook for a small army," the celebrity chef explained elsewhere on his website regarding his family's most popular recipes. "She made this to-die-for dish for every holiday." The recipe itself has been in the Zimmern family for a century, so you know it's got to be good.

One of the most important aspects of Hanukkah foods is the symbolic element of oil, which takes center stage in a number of fried foods, including potato latkes and jelly donuts. Though this self-descriptive appetizer doesn't call for oil, it absolutely necessitates the ingredient of schmaltz, or rendered chicken fat, to achieve the optimal taste and texture. Additionally, Zimmern insists that purchasing real chicken livers from a butcher shop is paramount, stating, "It makes a world of difference in the taste and texture of the dish."

Per Zimmern, sourcing the right ingredients for this Hanukkah dish is an absolute must. Just as important, though, is finding a thoughtful accompaniment for the appetizer. Though it's typically served with matzo during Passover, you can find a more flavorful cracker on which to spread it, such as bagel chips, pita chips, or even a batch of homemade pumpkin seed crackers during the Hanukkah holiday. Savoring the process of preparing the appetizer is also key to understanding how this dish and other popular Jewish foods are steeped in the tradition of togetherness.

To prepare this dish, you'll need a quality food processor and a box grater to start. The process begins with hard-boiling and peeling eggs, grating them into small shreds, and setting this aside with chopped parsley. Use the chicken schmaltz to cook finely chopped onions as well as your chicken livers before transferring the onions and livers into a food processor and blending to a chopped (but not entirely smooth) consistency. Mix this with your reserved eggs and parsley and serve with your choice of dipping crackers.

While chopped liver might not be everyone's go-to snack, involving friends and family in the cooking process will make it all the more enjoyable. Additionally, it's worth a little culinary adventure in the name of gathering and good food. Combining old favorites with new-to-you foods is a delight for the senses and part of what keeps Hanukkah traditions going strong.