Ellen Levine's Vegetarian "Chopped Liver" a la Dragon

Preparation 1. Spray a large skillet with oil and place it over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, and when the oil thins, add the onions and cook slowly, stirring often. You want them caramelized and golden, so allow 8 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat, add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor. 2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are just limp, about 4 minutes. Transfer them, too, to the processor, along with the green beans, lentils, hard-boiled eggs, toasted walnuts, tomato paste, if using, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper to taste. 3. Buzz the heck out of the mixture, pausing to scrape down the sides of the processor. Taste the mixture and season it again, if needed. If you like, stir in the minced onion. 4. Transfer the spread to a serving bowl, cover it tightly, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. About an hour before serving, remove the spread from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Garnish with minced parsley and paprika, and serve. Note:You may be wondering why I spritz a skillet with oil before adding more oil. It's because I generally use less oil than is traditional, making sautés et al (especially those done in a wok or cast-iron skillet) more prone to sticking. VARIATIONS Ellen's version: Omit the cooked green beans, lentils, and mushrooms. Instead, use one 14.5-ounce can French-cut string beans, drained, and one 14.5-ounce can peas, drained. Double the walnuts, and omit the tomato paste. (Sorry, Ellen, I love it when you make this, but I just can't bring myself to do the canned beans and peas in my own kitchen.) Cracker version: Omit the mushrooms; increase the cooked lentils to 2 cups. Add 1 board of matzoh or 1 cup crushed crackers (Tam Tams are traditional). This makes a stiffer, thicker dip, but one that's still surprisingly moist. Vegan/Hippie-style Veggie Pâté: Toward the end of sautéing the onion, before you add the garlic, stir in 2 coarsely grated carrots. Use 2 cups each cooked green beans, lentils, and toasted walnuts. Omit the hard-boiled eggs and use an egg-free mayo, such as Nasoya. To the mixture in the food processor, add 2/3 cup cooked brown rice and 1 tablespoon red miso. You'll definitely have to scrape the sides of the processor bowl several times to get the rice pureed. From Bean by Bean: A Cookbook. by Crescent Dragonwagon. Copyright © 2011 by Crescent Dragonwagon. Published by Workman Publishing.

Preparation 1. Spray a large skillet with oil and place it over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, and when the oil thins, add the onions and cook slowly, stirring often. You want them caramelized and golden, so allow 8 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat, add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor. 2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they are just limp, about 4 minutes. Transfer them, too, to the processor, along with the green beans, lentils, hard-boiled eggs, toasted walnuts, tomato paste, if using, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper to taste. 3. Buzz the heck out of the mixture, pausing to scrape down the sides of the processor. Taste the mixture and season it again, if needed. If you like, stir in the minced onion. 4. Transfer the spread to a serving bowl, cover it tightly, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. About an hour before serving, remove the spread from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Garnish with minced parsley and paprika, and serve. Note:You may be wondering why I spritz a skillet with oil before adding more oil. It's because I generally use less oil than is traditional, making sautés et al (especially those done in a wok or cast-iron skillet) more prone to sticking. VARIATIONS Ellen's version: Omit the cooked green beans, lentils, and mushrooms. Instead, use one 14.5-ounce can French-cut string beans, drained, and one 14.5-ounce can peas, drained. Double the walnuts, and omit the tomato paste. (Sorry, Ellen, I love it when you make this, but I just can't bring myself to do the canned beans and peas in my own kitchen.) Cracker version: Omit the mushrooms; increase the cooked lentils to 2 cups. Add 1 board of matzoh or 1 cup crushed crackers (Tam Tams are traditional). This makes a stiffer, thicker dip, but one that's still surprisingly moist. Vegan/Hippie-style Veggie Pâté: Toward the end of sautéing the onion, before you add the garlic, stir in 2 coarsely grated carrots. Use 2 cups each cooked green beans, lentils, and toasted walnuts. Omit the hard-boiled eggs and use an egg-free mayo, such as Nasoya. To the mixture in the food processor, add 2/3 cup cooked brown rice and 1 tablespoon red miso. You'll definitely have to scrape the sides of the processor bowl several times to get the rice pureed. From Bean by Bean: A Cookbook. by Crescent Dragonwagon. Copyright © 2011 by Crescent Dragonwagon. Published by Workman Publishing.