When I was little, whenever we had roast chicken, I begged for the pupik, which my grandmother said was the belly button. I never stopped to think whether chickens could actually have belly buttons—it was simply the part I loved most. Many years later, when I started studying Russian, I learned that the word for “belly button” is pupok! So there was the linguistic connection, even if the physiology remained suspect.  

　　  

　　I wish we had a different word for “gizzards,” which sounds as tough and gnarly as, well, a chicken’s stomach, which is what they are. Both the Russian pupok and Yiddish pupik sound alliterative and playful, something you might want to eat even if you didn’t know what it was. Please don’t let the word “gizzards” deter you from making this recipe. When braised in a tart brine, gizzards are truly delectable! This is an easy dish to serve guests, as it can be made a day in advance and reheated. Cooked barley is a perfect side to soak up the rich sauce.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　1 pound chicken gizzards

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1 medium onion, finely chopped

　　2 cloves garlic, minced

　　¼ teaspoon salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　1¼ cups pickle brine

　　2 tablespoons sour cream

　　¼ cup finely chopped dill pickles, for garnish

　　2 tablespoons minced fresh dill, for garnish

　　2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, for garnish

　　Cooked barley or rye toast for serving (optional)

　　

Step 1

Wash the gizzards well and remove any excess fat. Pat dry with paper towels.

　　

Step 2

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and sauté over low heat until soft and golden but not brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the gizzards and garlic. Sprinkle with the salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the gizzards are nicely browned and beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Pour in the pickle brine, cover the pan, and bring to a boil, then immediately lower the heat to simmer. Simmer gently for 45 minutes, until the gizzards are fork-tender.

　　

Step 4

With a slotted spoon, remove the gizzards from the broth and transfer them to a cutting board. Slice into ½-inch-thick pieces.

　　

Step 5

Stir the sour cream into the sauce, mixing well. Return the gizzards to the pan and stir to coat before transferring them to a serving dish. Garnish with the pickles and herbs.

　　Reprinted with permission from Beyond the North Wind: Russia in Recipes andLore by Darra Goldstein, copyright © 2020. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc.Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.