"Mock" Chopped Liver
פאַלשע געהאַקטע לעבער·(fahl-sheh ge-hahk-teh lay-ber)
Quick Deli Lunches (American Suburbs)
Before the health crazes and fancy meat substitutes, the dairy restaurants of New York's Lower East Side and the grandmothers of the American suburbs had a problem: Kosher law forbade mixing meat and dairy. Their solution was pure mid-century ingenuity. "Mock" chopped liver relies entirely on the alchemy of slowly rendered onions, earthy mushrooms, toasted walnuts, and the humble canned pea to mimic the deep, metallic umami of actual liver. It is a nostalgic powerhouse that belongs generously smeared on toasted rye, exactly the way your grandmother meant it to taste.
Before you start
Hard-boil and peel the eggs.
Lightly toast the walnuts.
Toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently, then set aside to cool.
Ingredients
- neutral vegetable oil3 tbsp
- yellow onions2 large
- cremini or white button mushrooms8 oz
- walnuts1 cup
- eggs3 large
- canned sweet green peas15 oz
- Kosher salt1 tsp
- freshly ground black pepper1/2 tsp
Method
- 01
Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat.
Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Don't rush this; cook them slowly, stirring occasionally, until they reduce down to a sweet, deeply golden-brown jam. This will take about 30 to 40 minutes and forms the essential savory backbone of the dish.
- 02
Increase the heat to medium and add the chopped mushrooms to the onions.
Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until the mushrooms have released their natural juices and browned beautifully, then remove the pan from the heat to cool slightly.
- 03
Pulse the toasted walnuts in a food processor until they resemble fine gravel.
Be careful not to over-process them into nut butter.
- 04
Add the cooled onion and mushroom mixture, along with the hard-boiled eggs, drained peas, kosher salt, and black pepper to the processor.
Make sure to scrape in all the leftover oil from the pan, as that oil carries immense flavor.
- 05
Pulse the machine 8 to 10 times, stopping to scrape down the sides, until you achieve a thick, cohesive, slightly chunky paste.
Do not turn the machine on continuously, or you will end up with an unappetizing smooth purée that lacks the rustic texture of true chopped liver.
- 06
Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
While it can be eaten immediately, letting it sit overnight allows the flavors to meld and the starches to firm up the texture. Serve generously on rye bread or crackers.
Notes
Do not substitute frozen or fresh peas.
The soft texture and subtle sweetness of standard canned sweet peas are essential for duplicating the authentic mid-century texture and the characteristic dull greenish-brown color of real liver.
Adapt the recipe easily for the Passover table.
Omit the canned peas to observe the Ashkenazi restriction on kitniyot, add an extra 8 ounces of mushrooms, and include a splash of pure maple syrup to compensate for the lost sweetness.