A comfort food that reminds many of family and holidays, chopped chicken livers are a Jewish delicatessen staple. This popular spread is usually enriched with schmaltz, a rendered chicken or goose fat that makes it shiny, delicious and awful for you. (One of my best chicken liver experiences was at Sammy’s Roumanian, where I enjoyed their chicken livers, prepared on the sweet side, even more than their signature steaks). This comfort food, usually made with onions (the more caramelized the better), eggs, schmaltz, garlic, cream sherry and spices, is usually served on rye bread, bagels or crackers. Done right, chicken livers kick foie gras’ ass.

I picked up a container of chicken liver spread at Gourmet on J, which also has a nice selection of meats, kugels, and salads for take out. Gourmet on J is owned by Harvey Pearlman, the “Kitchener Rebbe” food columnist who managed Zabar’s for 25 years, and who owns Garden of Eat-In down the street.Their fragrant chicken liver spread is sweet and onion-y with a slight texture, and was perfect on a fresh garlic bagel from Kosher Bagel Hole across the street.

Gourmet on J
1412 Avenue J

Originally published on Until Monday: Brooklyn