Chopped liver is usually made with chicken fat and is mostly served on the Jewish holiday, Passover. This is how your grandma would make it. It's a thrifty way to use the less desirable part of the chicken and not waste anything. It's been around for centuries. People would flock to the deli to get their meat fix since you can't mix milk and meat if you keep kosher on the same plate or in the same meal.
People may think I'm crazy for making a vegetarian version. In the current day and age, there are different types of diets which don't contain meat. There are many variations to this dish like using eggplant or walnuts, as well as crushed crackers. The mushrooms are the most tasty and photogenic option because you get the Unami flavor and the rich colors from the spices. You can have it all year round, not just on Passover. Don't tell your friends there are vegetables in this dish and see how they react.
Ingredients:
1 cup of cashews, soaked overnight or for 2 hours with a high powered blender
4 hard-boiled eggs (pickled eggs are completely optional, but check out the RAD pickles video to see my pickling recipe)
1 lb. (16 Oz) cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil or butter
1/4 cup vegetable broth
Spices:
1 tsp Trader Joe's Unami Seasoning (or any Unami seasoning)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp Everything Bagel Seasoning
1/2 tsp ground mustard
2 tsp brown sugar
Directions:
Start by soaking your cashews overnight or for 2 hours if you have a high powered blender.
Hard boil 4 eggs. Peel, quarter, and set aside when ready for use.
** I pickled my eggs in advance, which is completely optional. See my pickling recipe if you would like to add this to your dish.
Chop your onions, mushrooms, and garlic. Set aside.
Heat up a large frying pan on medium heat with vegetable oil or butter (I used homemade fresh herb butter).
Add your onions and sauté until browned (about 10 minutes).
Add your garlic to the pan.
Add your mushrooms and sauté for another 5-10 minutes.
Add your spices to the pan. Stir until everything is incorporated. Remove from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
In a high-powered blender or food processor, add the drained cashews, vegetable broth, eggs, and mushroom mixture. Use a rubber spatula to make sure you don't miss any of the extra flavors from the juices.
Blend or pulse until creamy. You can leave a bit of texture if you'd like.
Serve with vegetables and matzah. Enjoy!
I recently started a YouTube cooking channel, RAD Kitchen where I made a live demo of how I created this delicious breakfast sandwich. Click the link below to view my video.
