Chestnut Pate Recipes

CHESTNUT PUREE

Steps:

• Combine chestnuts, milk, and salt in a saucepan. Using the tip of a paring knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean into pan, and toss in pod. Bring to a simmer, and cook, partially covered, until chestnuts are very soft and all but about 1/2 cup of the liquid has been absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Pour mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving chestnuts and cooking liquid separately and discarding vanilla pod. Process chestnuts in a food processor until very smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid (and additional milk if needed), 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture is the consistency of a thick spread. Pour through a large-mesh sieve. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use.

ROASTED CHESTNUT PATE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
• 2. Make a crosscut across the round side of each chestnut to keep them from exploding, and arrange them along with the unpeeled garlic cloves on a cookie sheet.
• 3. Roast until the skins have pulled back from the cuts and the nutmeats have softened (exactly how long will depend upon the chestnuts, about 20 minutes for small, 25 minutes for large.).
• 4. Remove the nuts from the oven, make a mound of them in an old towel, wrap them up, and squeeze them hard to release the skin. Allow to cool until you can peel them.
• 5. Peel the garlic cloves out of the skins, and sauté with the onions over medium-high heat until lightly caramelized.
• 6. Sprinkle with nutmeg and allspice and cook for 1 minute.
• 7. Crumble chestnuts into the pan mixture. Add the olive oil, vinegar and water and cook for 4 minutes or until the chestnuts are moist.
• 8. Allow to cool, then pour ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth.
• Makes 6-8 servings.

CHESTNUT PATE

Steps:

• Grate of the vegetables.
• Blend all of the ingredients together into a find paste.
• Transfer mixture to a loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
• Cool completely before serving (:.

CHESTNUT MUSHROOM PATE

Steps:

• Chop the chestnut mushrooms, melt the butter and sauté the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and thyme, and sauté for 8 minutes or until the mushrooms are cooked.
• Reserving the juices in case you need to add a little moisture in step three, drain the onion/garlic/mushroom mixture, and blend it with the cream cheese and fromage frais.
• Reserving some slivered almonds for garnish, process the nuts in the food processor then add them to the onion/garlic/mushroom mixture OR, if you prefer a finer, smoother paté, add the onion/garlic/mushroom to the food processor and process OR, for a more varied texture, process some of the onion/garlic/mushroom mixture with the nuts, then fold both mixtures together until they are well-combined. If the mixture becomes too dry (which is unlikely), add a little of the juice reserved in step two.
• Chill the paté for 2 hours, then scatter the reserved slivered almonds on top and serve the paté with crusty bread, pita bread, crackers or vegetable sticks. This paté is best eaten within 2 days.
• Chef's Note: Chestnut mushrooms are a closed cup mushroom with a wonderfully rich flavour. If you cannot find these, use flat field mushrooms which are always great, but may need a little more cooking.