There are moments during the holiday season where recipes are true soul food. Instead of feeling sadness about the ones we have lost and are no longer seated at the table sharing the day with us, we can feel happiness by knowing how loved we were by recreating their favorite recipes that they would make for us.
This Russian Caviar Pie is a secret Medavoy recipe that is only made for Easter, Thanksgiving, Birthdays and Christmas. The caviar that tops it can run the range from red salmon caviar to Beluga. Osetra has the best taste but even the black unknown variety for ten bucks has done in a pinch.
My mother, terminal with liposarcoma, feeding tube in her, unable to eat, still made her traditional Russian Easter for us one month before she passed away. The Caviar Pie was the center of it. You slice it, you serve it with a shot of vodka or champagne and life is good. It was her way of saying "I love you" - nothing will change if you keep these traditions up. Remember me. I will be watching over you and your son and husband.
"Everything that matters is under this roof right now" I had just become a mother, my son was two months old, and she was teaching me what was important. God, How i miss her. And when I slice up the pie, I can see her, feel her, and have so much joy that she is still at our table. And as I am sure she knew, it's my son's favorite recipe at holiday time.
Caviar Pie
9-inch spring form pan
12 eggs - hard boiled and separated whites from yellows
1/4 cup mayo
1 - 16 oz. container sour cream
1 onion diced very fine and strained (onion is optional)
Caviar - your choice on how decadent you wish to be - 4-6 ounces is a light layer, but works beautifully. For a Birthday splurge 8 ounces makes it extra special.
1. Mash egg whites until fine. Add mayo so it holds together.
2. Spread mixture evenly over the bottom of a spring form pan.
3. In a separate bowl, mash egg yellows until a finely crumbled.
4. Sprinkle evenly over egg whites.
5. Spread chopped onion over eggs. This is optional.
6. Spread sour cream in even layer over everything.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
8. Remove from fridge and then layer caviar over sour cream.
9. Carefully remove from spring form pan and serve.
Irena Medavoy is wife to producer Mike Medavoy (Black Swan, Shutter Island, coming The 33) and mother to Nick Medavoy, a six foot 8, 16-year-old basketball player, a children's right's activist, writer, and coconut oil proponent.