Apple Cider Liver Pâté

Growing up as an Ashkenazi Jew, chopped liver was part and parcel of our Shabbat menu. My mom would always saute chicken livers on Friday afternoons, and to be honest, the smell was NOT for me, I would literally LEAVE THE HOUSE. Years later, as an established and curious foodie, I couldn’t help but order the jarred creamy liver pâté from various restaurant menus – it was always paired with homemade jam and crostini and it looked so GOOD. And it was! So, chicken liver finally found a place in my heart (and on my palate!).

The thing about kosher chicken liver, is that it needs to be broiled in order to remove the blood (since blood is not kosher), and it can sometimes render it dry. Cooking it down in some stock (with a hint of wine or cognac), is always a good idea, so this time, I decided to go with our current theme – apple cider! The cider cuts through the gaminess of the liver, which pairs wonderfully with the fruitiness of the juice, making it ultra creamy and oh. so. delicious.

Serve with apple cider onion jam and whole grain mustard for a truly special bite!

 

Apple Cider Liver Pâté

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced small
1/2 – 3/4 lb. broiled chicken livers, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp baharat, allspice, or warm spices of your choice
1 1/2 cups apple cider (not vinegar)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 hard boiled egg

Method:

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil and add the onions, saute until deeply caramelized, 10-15 minutes.  Add the chicken livers and saute until heated through. Add the baharat and saute to incorporate. Deglaze the pan with apple cider, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan, season with salt and pepper. Allow the livers to cook, uncovered, over medium heat until the apple cider reduces to a thick sauce.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor with the S blade attached. Add the egg and blend until creamy. Transfer to a jar or serving dish and refrigerate until set, 1-2 hours.

Serve with your favorite jam, mustard, pickles and crackers.

VARIATION: You can also serve the sauteed livers as creamy chopped liver without blending into a spread.

 

Accoutrements:

apple cider onion jam
beer mustard
pickled chili peppers
pickled onions
sourdough crackers

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Apple Cider Bread

We can’t have an apple cider series without an apple cider pastry now can we? This is an all-purpose apple cider cake batter, so use it in baked donuts, or as muffins! Bread always feels a little healthier even though we all know it’s really a cake, right? I love that this recipe isn’t too sweet, so it’s great for breakfast with some coffee, or… you guessed it… hot apple cider!

 

Apple Cider Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups apple cider (not vinegar!), reduced to 3/4 cup
½ cup neutral oil
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs

For coating:
1/3 cup maple syrup + 2 tbsp water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, whisk together apple cider, oil, brown sugar, maple syrup and eggs.

Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined (don’t overmix). Pour into prepared loaf pan and Bake for 35–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Rest 10 minutes in the pan. In the meantime, heat maple syrup and water in a saucepan until boiling. Mix the sugar and cinnamon on a baking sheet.

Remove the cake from the pan and brush all sides with maple syrup. Roll gently in the cinnamon-sugar.

Related Recipes:

apple cider crumb cake
gingerbread cupcakes

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Apple Cider Onion Jam

Apple cider season is my favorite time of year! I love to cozy up to a warm glass with an oversized knit sweater, snuggled in a comfy blankie, and maybe even around a firepit, or a fireplace (a girl can dream!). Lets add in the plaid button down and some cowboy boots while we’re at it, why not?

And did you know there are other things to do with apple cider besides sip it out of a glass! Like these amazing jammy onion, and lots more coming your way!

So next time a recipe calls for APPLE CIDER, don’t put in apple cider vinegar because THEY’RE NOT THE SAME! (take a peak into my DM’s and ask me how I know…..that time a follower put apple cider vinegar into her Harvest Bundt Cake….oy vey!).

Apple Cider Onion Jam

2 tbsp olive oil
3 med-large red onions, thinly sliced
2 cups apple cider
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the onions. Cook until the onions have softened (I like to add some salt to help draw out the moisture), then add in the apple cider, apple cider vinegar and maple syrup. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until the cider is reduced and the mixture has thickened, 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and peeper. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

USES: Add to grilled cheese, burgers or serve with roast chicken or meat.

Other recipes with apple cider:

apple crumb cake
apple & honey cosmos
golden milk carrot and apple soup
whiskey cider
simanim stuffed leeks
CharosHOT Toddy

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Chili Crisp Broccoli Salad with Miso Tahini Dressing

I love me some broccoli salad but the one we all grew up with – you know the “broccoli craisin salad” as they called it, was smothered in sugar and mayo, and just not as healthy as I’d like. In my cookbook Totally Kosher, I revisited the old favorite recipe in with raisins and a curry tahini dressing, and this time we’re leaning Asian, with crunchy chili crisp, and miso + soy spiked tahini for a lipsmacking umami dressing that you’re going to want to put on everthing!

Never heard of chili crisp before? There’s a incredible homemade version in my cookbook but Roland and Mr. Bing both makes great kosher options.

As for miso paste, if you’re not adding it to your soups, chocolate chips cookies, mashed potatoes or salad dressings, you don’t know what you’re missing! It’s a fermented soybean paste, with “white” miso being the youngest and sweetest variety (the color darkens and the flavor deepens as it ages). This is my favorite kosher brand, while the Marukome is available at HMart and other gourmet markets.

Chili Crisp Broccoli Salad

15oz. raw broccoli, cut into small chunks
1 small red onion, diced small
6 medjool dates, pitted and diced small
1/2 cup almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
2 tbsp chili crisp (see above for kosher options)

Miso Tahini Dressing

1/4 cup tahini paste
1 tbsp white miso paste
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp pure maple syrup
juice of 1 lemon
2-3 tbsp water

Method:

Add the salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Mix the dressing into the salad and toss to combine.

Related Recipes:

crack broccolini
sweet chili broccoli salmon
broccoli slaw
chili crisp cucumber salad

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Turkey Wrapped Beef Stuffed Dates

These are a mouthful – and I don’t just mean the title! Medjool dates are stuffed with the juiciest little kofta bites, then wrapped in smoked turkey, glazed with spicy honey mustard, and topped with pickled hot peppers. It’s sweet, salty, spicy, all and once and it’s DELICIOUS! With Simchat Torah coming, finger food is just the thing and these are an absolute winner!

 

Turkey Wrapped Beef Stuffed Dates

1 lb. ground beef (not lean)
1/4 cup grated shallot
2 cloves garlic, grated
3 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
24 pitted medjool dates
12 slices smoked turkey, sliced in half
1 cup honey
1/3 cup yellow mustard
2 tbsp sriracha
pickled chili peppers (recipe follows) and parsley for garnish, optional

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the beef, shallot, garlic, parsley, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper, Mix to incorporate. Form small torpedo-shaped bites of beef and stuff into the dates. Wrap each date in 1/2 slice of turkey. Transfer the bites to a baking rack sent into a baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard and sriracha, Brush the glaze over the turkey. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, brushing the glaze over the turkey after 10 minutes, and then again as soon they finish cooking.

Garnish with pickled chili peppers and chopped parsley, if desired. Serve warm.

Pickled Chili Peppers
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt

3 Thai chilies, thinly sliced
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp kosher salt

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar and salt, bring to a boil. Add the chili peppers to an 8oz jar, pour the hot brine over them and set aside to cool. Cover and refrigerate for up to one month.

Related Recipes:

feta stuffed dates with crispy kataifi
brie stuffed dates
beef stuffed apricots

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