Vegetarian Chopped Liver with Lentils
An easy and delicious alternative to meat-based chopped liver, this spread has just a few ingredients. Use it as an appetizer with crackers or slices of baguette, or spread it as a filling on a sandwich.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown lentils (dried)
- 1 medium-large onion approximately 5.5 oz/120 g
- 3-4 tablespoons oil, preferably olive
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup walnut halves and pieces, finely ground 4 oz/120 g
- kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce
Instructions
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Bring 2 & 1/2 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium sized pot. Add lentils, lower heat to medium and cook, covered, for about 20-30 minutes, until lentils are soft but still have their shape. Mid-way through cooking, check the lentils. If the water does not still cover them, add more boiling water. Drain them with a colander, let them cool slightly, and add them to a food processor.
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Heat a medium sized pan. Then add 3-4 tablespoons of oil and let it get hot but not smoking. Add the onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until onion is transparent and beginning to brown on the edges. When done, cool the chopped onion down a bit, then add it to the food processor and pulse until the lentils and onions are well-combined.
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Lightly scramble the two eggs in the pan just used for the onions. Let them cool a bit, then add the eggs, ground walnuts, soy sauce, salt and pepper and pulse until the mixture is again well-combined. If it is not easily spreadable, add a bit more oil and pulse again. Taste and adjust seasonings.
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Refrigerate for at least one hour, then serve with crackers or slices of bread. Also delicious as a sandwich spread.
Recipe Notes
This spread is delicious with tomato, which adds extra umami and is a traditional accompaniment to chopped liver.
I like to sprinkle flaked sea salt or kosher salt on the top. That gives the spread an extra punch and allows me to use less salt on the first go round (when the salt is processed into the mixture.) Speaking of the salt mixed in, start small, with about 1/2 teaspoon and add more to taste. One can always add more, but if you add too much in the beginning, there is no easy fix.