Living with so many vegetarians in my home, I always challenge myself to develop new meals that fit our family’s diet. Daddy, my father-in-law (he’s allergic to mushrooms), is out of town this week, so this wild mushroom pâté worked fine for last night’s dinner. If, like me, you’re not a vegetarian, this vegetarian dish is proof that vegetables such as mushrooms can be as satisfying as meat.
I used a combination of fresh thyme, morels, chanterelles, shiitake and Portobello mushrooms. They’re rich in umami, which is the savory flavor quality that sorts of mimics what we get from meat.
1. Info for Vegetarian Wild Mushroom Pate Recipe
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 60 mins
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 115 kcal
2. Ingredients for Vegetarian Wild Mushroom Pate Recipe
- 3 shallots, finely minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
- 4 ounces morel mushrooms
- 4 ounces chanterelle mushrooms
- 1 Portobello mushroom
- 10 ounces shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon butter (or oil)
- 1 tablespoon truffle oil (or any other oil)
- 1 sprig fresh thyme, bruised
- 1½ tablespoons red chili flakes
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1½ teaspoons salt
3. Directions:
- For the bread:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a standard loaf pan with butter. Set aside.
- Cut the bread into thin slices. Place in a food processor and pulse until powdered.
- For the mushroom mixture:
- Thinly slice 1 shiitake mushroom lengthwise and reserve for garnish later. Coarsely chop the rest of the mushrooms.
- Place the thyme, green onions and shallot in the food processor and pulse 3-4 times. Add the garbanzo beans. Pulse 2-3 times, then add the coarsely chopped mushrooms. Pulse until it becomes a coarse mill. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
- Combine the mushroom mixture, 2 eggs, bread crumbs, red chili flakes, parsley and truffle oil. Using a spatula, mix well. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Assembly:
- Pour the mixture into the loaf pan. Tightly pack the mixture and even out the top with the back of a spatula.
- Dissolve 1 tablespoon water in the remaining egg. Beat well. Using a silicone brush, coat the top with a thin layer of the egg wash. Garnish with a line of stacked sliced mushrooms.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Place a serving platter on top, then flip the pan.
- Pair with a green salad. Garnish with candied pecans.
- Serve at room temperature.
- Bon appétit!
4. Tips and advices:
- For a vegan version, you can omit the egg and use a combination of xanthan gum (fine powder used as a binder and emulsifier), liquid lecithin (egg yolk substitute) and a bit of oil. You can find these online or in any specialty food store such as Whole Foods. Look for a (32-ounce) bottle of liquid lecithin, which is much easier to cook with than the capsules. Count 1 part each xanthan gum and lecithin to 2 parts oil ratio. You can also replace the egg wash by brushing a thin layer of oil.
