Oneforthetable.com

There are moments during the holiday season when recipes are true soul food. Instead of feeling sadness about the ones we have lost and who 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, Christmas and New Years. 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 10 bucks has done in a pinch.

My mother, terminal with liposarcoma, with a 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 this 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 would be, it's my son's favorite recipe at holiday time.

Caviar Pie

12 eggs, hard boiled and whites separated from yolks

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

1 onion diced very fine and strained (optional)

Caviar (see note)

1. Mash egg whites until fine. Mix in mayonnaise to hold it together.

2. Spread mixture evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.

3. In a separate bowl, mash egg yolks until a finely crumbled.

4. Sprinkle evenly over egg whites.

5. Spread chopped onion over eggs (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.

Note: How much caviar, and what quality, you use is up to you. Four to 6 ounces is only a light layer, but it works beautifully. For a birthday or other notable occasion, a splurge of 8 ounces makes it extra special.

(Irena Medavoy, wife of producer Mike Medavoy ("Black Swan," "Shutter Island," "The 33") and mother of Nick Medavoy, a 6-foot8, 16-year-old basketball player, is a children's rights activist, writer and coconut oil proponent. One for the Table is Amy Ephron's online magazine that specializes in food, politics and love. http://www.oneforthetable.com/.)