Mushroom Lentil Pâté Recipes

VEGAN MUSHROOM LENTIL PâTé

Steps:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet (I use this one) over medium high heat. When hot, add mushrooms, garlic, and dried thyme. Let cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes.
• It shouldn't stick too much since mushrooms release their own liquid, but use the reduced sodium soy sauce / tamari and water mixture to deglaze the pan once while cooking. (Deglaze just means when you pour a little liquid on the pan and stir it around so that all the flavor that's sticking to the bottom of the pan just goes back onto the food.)
• When cooked, drain off any remaining liquid and add to a food processor or blender with remaining ingredients.
• Process or blend until smooth.
• Pack into whatever container you'd like your Pâté to take the shape of. Really pack it in there, pushing it down and smoothing it with a spatula. I've had best results with ceramic and silicone containers as the mould, but glass has worked for me too (just a little bit more finessing to get it out). I have not tried this with a plastic container but it would probably be fine, maybe just requiring that extra bit of effort to release.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
• To release the mushroom Pâté, run a butter knife around the edges, place a plate upside down on top of the open container and flip like a cake onto a cooling rack. You may have to wiggle it a little or hit the bottom of the container a few times. You should hear it slide out.
• Clean up the edges if you need to and decorate the top with extra herbs and spices if you wish.
• Serve chilled with crackers or toasted slices of a baguette. Enjoy!
• Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Can freeze if needed, thaw overnight in the fridge.

FAUX GRAS

Steps:

• Wipe the mushrooms clean. Slice off a bit of the stem end (the funky parts) and slice them. Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet or wide saucepan. Add the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions become translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're soft and cooked through, another 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
• In a food processor, combine the cooked lentils, nuts, lemon juice, soy sauce, rosemary, thyme, sage or parsley, Cognac (if using), brown sugar, and cayenne. Scrape in the cooked mushroom mixture and process until completely smooth. Taste, and add salt, pepper, and additional cognac, soy sauce, or lemon juice, if it needs balancing.
• Scrape the pâté into a small serving bowl and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.

MUSHROOM-LENTIL PâTé

Steps:

• 1 Cover the lentils with an inch of water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat
• 2 Bring almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 20 minutes, adjusting the heat so the water is barely bubbling
• 3 Remove from the heat, stir in the thyme sprigs and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, then cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes
• 4 Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until warm
• 5 Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil, the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and cook until translucent, 7 or 8 minutes
• 6 Add the garlic and cook a few minutes longer
• 7 Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, toss to coat with the oil, cover partly and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes
• 8 Uncover and cook until most of the remaining liquid evaporates
• 9 Add the sherry, and cook until it just glosses the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute
• 10 Cover the skillet and remove it from the heat
• 11 Pulse the pecans in the bowl of a food processor until they are finely ground
• 12 Add the onion-mushroom mixture and process until just combined
• 13 Drain the lentils, reserving the cooking liquid for another use, if desired, and add them to the food processor along with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the pepper
• 14 Process until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes
• 15 Add the vinegar and pulse just until combined
• 16 It should be about the consistency of peanut butter
• 17 The pâté can be served in a bowl immediately, garnished with additional thyme, if desired
• 18 It can also be molded
• 19 Transfer the pâté into a small loaf pan or bowl lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour
• 20 When ready to serve, unmold the pate onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap
• 21 Garnish with additional thyme, if desired
• 22 NOTE: To toast the pecans, spread them on a baking sheet and place in a 350-degree oven, shaking the sheet occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes
• 23 Watch carefully; nuts burn quickly

LENTIL PATE

Steps:

• Bring lentils, stock, 1 3/4 cups water, onion, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, adding water as needed (about 1/2 cup at a time) to prevent lentils from drying out, until they are tender, about 30 minutes. Discard onion, thyme, and bay leaf; set lentils aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring often, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook until mushrooms have softened completely and shallots are deep-golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add sherry, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Remove from heat.
• Reserve 2 heaping tablespoons of shallot mixture for garnish; refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. Process remaining shallot mixture, the lentils, and nuts in a food processor until coarsely combined. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the egg whites.
• Line a 5-by-10-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing 3 inches to hang over each long side. Spoon lentil mixture into pan, and fold plastic over top. Top with another loaf pan filled with heavy cans. Refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight).
• To serve, unwrap top, and invert onto a platter. Bring to room temperature. Garnish with reserved shallot mixture and thyme sprigs. Serve with crackers.

MUSHROOM-LENTIL PATE

Steps:

• Cover the lentils with an inch of water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 20 minutes, adjusting the heat so the water is barely bubbling. Remove from the heat, stir in the thyme sprigs and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cover and let sit for at least 30 minutes.
• Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until warm. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil, the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and cook until translucent, 7 or 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a few minutes longer. Add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, toss to coat with the onions, cover partly and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 10 minutes. Uncover and cook until most of the remaining liquid evaporates. Add the sherry and cook until it just glosses the bottom of the pan, about 1 minute. Cover the skillet and remove it from the heat.
• Pulse the pecans in the bowl of a food processor until they are finely ground. Add the onion-mushroom mixture and process until just combined. Drain the lentils, reserving the cooking liquid for another use, if desired, and add them to the food processor along with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Process until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vinegar and pulse just until combined. It should be about the consistency of peanut butter.
• The pate can be served in a bowl immediately, garnished with additional thyme, if desired. It can also be molded. Transfer the pate into a small loaf pan or bowl lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. When ready to serve, unmold the pate onto a serving plate and remove the plastic wrap. Garnish with additional thyme, if desired.

CLASSIC VEGAN MUSHROOM & LENTIL PâTé

Steps:

• Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 100ml water.
• Slice the chestnut mushrooms and garlic
• Sautee the mushrooms and garlic in a pan with the olive oil until they reduce and look a little browned.
• Remove the dried porcini from their water (save the water, you might need it later) and roughly chop.
• Add the soaked, dried porcini to the pan of mushrooms, along with the herbs. Cook a little.
• Add the wine/brandy/marsala and to the mushrooms and let it cook down. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Let the mushrooms cool a little then add them all to your blender. Also add the cooked lentils here too.
• Blend the pate until smooth. If it's a little difficult to blend, add a little of the soaked mushrooms water.
• The pate should be thick and smooth.
• Spoon the pate into clean, dry jars or ramekins that would be nice to serve in.
• Melt the vegan butter and pour over the pate in the ramekin so it forms a layer.
• Pop on a sprig of rosemary and put the pate in the fridge to chill.
• Serve with plenty of crackers or fresh crusty bread.

RED LENTIL PATE

Steps:

• Wash lentils quickly, drain, and place the lentils in a 3-4 quart saucepan.
• Add the water or stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Chop the onions and the garlic very finely.
• In a large skillet, heat the oil.
• Add the garlic, onions, and herbs and saute over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, or until the onions and garlic are browned and fragrant.
• Oil a 9-inch shallow baking pan or loaf pan and sprinkle with half the bread crumbs, completely coating the inside of the pan.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Chop the parsley finely.
• When the lentils are done, stir them thoroughly to mash, add the onion mixture, bread crumbs, and parsley.
• Season to taste with sea salt, vinegar, and pepper.
• Pour the lentil mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until set.
• Allow to cool to room temperature before slicing.
• Enjoy!