Back in April I wrote a post about my Aunt Hilda’s Carrot Vichyssoise. At the time I was writing the history of my paternal grandfather’s family, and I thought it would be a nice idea to include a chapter of favorite family recipes.

In order to help me write the recipe chapter, my cousin Nina lent me our Grandma Fran’s recipe collection—a small metal filing box packed with handwritten index cards that Nina had kept after Grandma died.

I started making some of the recipes, and a spooky thing happened: I suddenly felt as if my grandmother had returned from beyond (in the feel-good way, not the bloodthirsty zombie way).

So cancel that seance—if you want to reconnect with a long-gone loved one, just whip up one of his or her signature dishes. Oh, and on a related note, be sure you leave behind a signature dish.

One of the recipes in Grandma’s collection was this vegetarian chopped liver that uses hard-boiled eggs, onions, and walnuts. I have only a vague recollection of this particular dish of hers, but in a coincidental two-for-one twist, I do remember my mother making something similar when I was very little.

Mom used to sautée onions to the point of being slightly burnt and then mash them with hard-boiled eggs—a recipe she learned from some Moroccan Jewish friends.

I used to go nuts for the smell and taste of the burnt onions, because, as Mark Bittman describes, “Something happens when onions blacken a bit, and it’s something good and unusual: they become super-sweet, yes, but also quite bitter, in a pleasant way.”

So although Grandma didn’t specifically call for burning the onions, that’s how I’ve interpreted her recipe here.

More Jewish holiday recipes you’ll love

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

Grandma Fran's Vegetarian Chopped Liver

Name: Grandma Fran's Vegetarian Chopped Liver
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Jewish
Ingredients: ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter; 3 large yellow onions (about 2 pounds), thinly sliced; 4 hard-boiled eggs; ¾ cup walnut halves, lightly toasted; ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
3 large yellow onions (about 2 pounds), thinly sliced
4 hard-boiled eggs
¾ cup walnut halves, lightly toasted
½ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until it's melted and just beginning to bubble (make sure not to let it burn).
Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, medium brown in color, and slightly burnt (30 to 40 minutes). The technique is just like caramelizing, but you take it a step or two further. The goal is a darker brown color and nice little burnt bits—but don't go too far.
When onions are done, add eggs, walnuts, and salt. Chop and mix well. Pop the mixture into a food processor if you want a more realistic chopped-liver texture, pulsing until smooth. I usually leave a few chunks unprocessed, as shown in the photo above. (Sometimes I just skip the food processing step altogether.)
This dish is delicious served warm, but room temperature is good too.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 65Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 48mgSodium 82mgCarbohydrates 3gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 3g

Jewish Recipes

Jewish recipes are the heart of every Jewish holiday celebration. There’s a special dish (or five!) for every occasion, from the high holidays to Shabbat dinners! Here are my favorite Jewish recipes for the holidays or any day.

The Best Rosh Hashanah Honey Cake

The best, moistest, most delicious honey cake you'll ever eat!

Brisket with Apricots, Prunes, and North African Spices

Brisket is braised in a mixture of red wine, beef broth, dried fruit, and North African spices for a Mediterranean take on the traditional Jewish holiday dish. This recipe was adapted from a recipe by Jayne Cohen in Bon Appetit.

Potato Latkes

You can make a gluten-free version by substituting gluten-free brown rice flour for the flour. You can also jazz up the recipe by adding thinly sliced scallions or substituting sweet potatoes, parsnips, or apples for some (or all) of the potatoes. This recipe serves about 4 people and is easily doubled or tripled.

Instant Pot Applesauce

This Instant Pot applesauce is super quick and easy to make. It's delicious on top of crispy potato latkes--or just eat it plain!

Instant Pot Falafel

Crispy, golden brown patties are tender and moist on the inside. They're seasoned just right with cumin, coriander, cayenne, and fresh parsley.

Instant Pot Hummus

This Instant Pot hummus from scratch starts with dried chickpeas and takes less than an hour to make—and that's start to finish time. There's no need to soak the beans. The result is lush, rich, creamy, and full of flavor.

Israeli Couscous Salad with Pomegranate Seed, Pistachios, and Hummus Vinaigrette

This is a great way to use up leftover cooked couscous. The dressing can be whisked together in a bowl, but is especially easy to make in a food processor—chop the parsley leaves in the processor first, then add the other ingredients and process until smooth.

Lamb Kofta Kebabs

Ground lamb is mixed with lots of fresh herbs, aromatics, and spices and then grilled on skewers. I like to serve these with pita bread, hummus, tzatziki, harissa or chermoula, and a salad of romaine, cucumbers, and tomatoes with lemon dressing. Brown basmati rice is a great accompaniment as well.

Homemade Pita Bread

Pita bread is surprisingly easy to make and watching the rounds puff up in the oven is so, so satisfying. Use them for sandwiches or cut them into triangles and use them to scoop savory Middle Eastern dips like my Instant Pot Hummus, baba ganoush, or tzatziki.

Matzoh Fattoush or Bread Salad for Passover

This bright, fresh, kosher for Passover salad—a take on the popular Middle Eastern bread salad called fattoush—gives the plain crackers new life. Spiced, baked matzo “chips” replace the usual flat bread, but other than that, this hearty salad packs all the fresh herby, tangy, spicy flavor you expect from fattoush.

Whipped Feta Spread with Garlic and Fresh Dill

Whipped Feta Spread is a great addition to a mezze appetizer platter. It's a tangy, salty, creamy dip with a punch of garlic and fresh dill. Scoop it up with pita chips or raw veggies.

Chopped Liver

Rich, savory chopped liver is a favorite appetizer for all the Jewish holidays.