Ingredients
Scale
- To render chicken fat for schmaltz and make gribenes:
- ½ lb. fatty chicken skin combined with ⅛ lb. chicken fat – all frozen
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 bunch fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ***
- For eggs and onions:
- 6 duck eggs (strongly preferred) or large chicken eggs
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 3 scallions, including 1 inch of green, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons schmaltz mixed with 1 tsp. white miso (TFD made a VERY optional change by adding the miso – remove it if you want the classic recipe)
- Lots of kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon or more to taste of gribenes (optional but strongly recommended)
Instructions
- To make the schmaltz and gribenes:
- Whenever you prepare chickens, pull off as much of the fat as possible and trim the skin (such as at the cavity opening and the neck). Save them in a bag or container in the freezer. When you’ve accumulated a “critical mass” (at least ½ pound; more is better), remove from the freezer. I’ve found it is easier to handle when still frozen. I take a serrated-edge knife and start shaving it down into little bits.
- Finely dice onions; the more the better. I use about one large onion for each ½ lb. of fat. Put the onion and cut-up fat in a skillet with a large bunch of fresh thyme and a bay leaf or two and place on low heat. You’re interested in melting the fat.
- Continue frying until the onions are dark golden-brown and the skin is entirely crisped. Turn off the heat and allow to cool (the onions will continue browning because of the high temperature of the schmaltz).
- Once it is cooled to close to room temperature, you have the choice of transferring all (minus the thyme and bay) to another container to set — schmaltz, onions, gribbenes and all — or straining the schmaltz through a fine sieve and enjoying the onions and gribbenes separately. For this recipe, save the onions from the schmaltz-making for another dish.
- To make the perfect hard-boiled eggs: put six very large chicken (or use TFD’s preferred – duck eggs!) eggs (ideally ones that have been in the fridge for at least a week – older eggs are easier to peel) in water just enough to cover in a pot with 1 tablespoon of salt.
- Bring to the boil, then immediately lower the heat to a very light simmer for 7 minutes. At the 7 minute mark, raise the heat to high and count down 4 minutes – it should come back to a full boil.
- At the 4 minute mark, drain the eggs and immediately run under cold water until cool enough to handle.
- If you are lucky enough to own a sous-vide machine, heat the water to 85 degrees Celsius, add the eggs, cook 22 minutes then remove them and add to an ice water bath for 5 minutes.
- Chop eggs BY HAND (do not use a food processor) into small chunks and set aside in a bowl.
- Heat schmaltz in a skillet over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent and slightly browned.
- Gently mix eggs and sautéed onions and stir in the remaining ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Serve with pletzel, pumpernickel, challah, or during Passover – matzo.
- You may garnish each portion with fresh tomatoes (in season) and thinly sliced english cucumbers or with dill pickles and pickled beets.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
- Category: Recipes
Nutrition
- Calories: 601.28 kcal
- Sugar: 4.9 g
- Sodium: 641.6 mg
- Fat: 52.49 g
- Saturated Fat: 14.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.13 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.88 g
- Fiber: 2.32 g
- Protein: 20.26 g
- Cholesterol: 998.61 mg
