From the story: Egg-pocalypse Now: Cracking The Chicken-Egg Conundrum.
Vegetarian Mock Chopped Liver is a delicious and healthy alternative to traditional chopped liver. This recipe is so convincing that even the most discriminating taste testers, who grew up with their mom’s real chopped liver, will be impressed. It happens every time I serve it! Made with wholesome ingredients such as walnuts, onions, green beans, and mushrooms, this dish is not only tasty but also packed with nutrients. Whether you’re a vegetarian or just looking to cut back on meat, this recipe is sure to satisfy your cravings for a classic old-world delicacy. A nice surprise is that this dish tastes even better the next day as it sits in the refrigerator and the flavors develop.
Vegetarian Mock Chopped Liver (Traditional Style)
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 16 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved
- 8 ounces mushrooms (shiitaki preferred), stems removed and sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped (when cooked, it should shrink to approximately ½ cup)
- 3-4 large eggs, firmly hard-boiled and peeled
- ½ cup unsalted walnuts (preferably raw)
- 3 to 4 medium to large garlic cloves, peeled
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive or unflavored coconut oil, divided, for cooking
- 1 to 3 tablespoons water, if needed (for cooking mushrooms)
Instructions
Walnuts.
- Preheat oven to 400℉. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and toast in oven for approximately 1 to 2 minutes, checking constantly until they turn lightly brown. Be careful not to overcook them as they will continue to darken outside of the oven for a few minutes, and you do not want them to burn. When ready, remove from oven and set aside.
Green Beans.
- In a medium-sized pot, add green beans and enough water to cover. Boil until the green beans become soft. Drain the water and set the green beans aside.
Eggs.
- Hard boil eggs and set aside.
Onions and garlic.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive or coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, mixing intermittently, and cook until softened and dark brown (almost burnt for a more robust taste). When onions are ready, remove from pan into a bowl and set aside. Add ½ teaspoon more of olive or coconut oil into the skillet and sauté the garlic on both sides for one to two minutes, until lightly brown. Set aside.
Mushrooms.
- In a separate skillet, heat the remaining olive or coconut oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and have released their liquid, about 5 to 10 minutes. (If the pan becomes too dry during this time, add 1 to 3 tablespoons water, which will dissipate during cooking.) When the mushrooms are soft and the liquid is evaporated, set them aside.
Putting it all together.
- Transfer all of the ingredients to a food processor in the following order: green beans, mushrooms, onions, garlic, and walnuts. Combine them well. Then, add 3 peeled hard-boiled eggs and pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Taste the mixture and if you would like a milder taste and a softer texture, add the 4th hard-boiled egg. Mix the ingredients again, taste and adjust the salt and pepper according to your preference. Mix it once more. The mixture should be roughly chopped. However, if you prefer a smoother pâté-like consistency, transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until it reaches your desired texture.
Notes
#1) Enjoy your delicious vegetarian-friendly mock chopped liver with gluten-free matzo or your favorite crackers.
#2) For this dish, I prefer shiitake mushrooms because of their nutritional benefits, but feel free to substitute them with other varieties of mushrooms, such as cremini, white button, or portobello mushrooms. However, the flavor may vary slightly depending on the type of mushrooms used.
#3) To save time, you can boil the green beans in advance and store them in the refrigerator until needed for the recipe. Just make sure to store them in an airtight container and use them within a few days for optimal freshness.
Happy cooking!
