Walnut Mushroom Pate
Equipment Required
Ingredients· 1 cup walnuts · 2 cups water, filtered · 1 lb baby bella mushrooms · 5 leeks · 3 cloves garlic · 1⁄2 teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt · 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper, ground · 1 tablespoon thyme, dried · 1 tablespoon parsley, dried · 2 teaspoons Bouquet Garni · 1 tablespoon lemon juice · 1⁄4 cup white wine · 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar · 3 tablespoons olive oil |
DirectionsSoak walnuts in filtered water over night. Drain, rinse and set aside in strainer. Clean mushrooms, removing stems. Slice or chop mushrooms. Clean leeks and remove green tops. Cut each leek in half lengthwise. Slice thinly. Coat the bottom of a large, flat bottomed pan with olive oil. Place over medium heat. Add mushrooms, leeks, garlic cloves and all the dry dry seasonings except the parsley to pan. Stir until everything is coated with oil. Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring often, until leeks are tender. Add liquid ingredients and stir. Reduce heat until mixture is just simmering. Place cover partially on pan (so steam can escape) and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is mostly evaporated and mushrooms are cooked through. Turn heat back to medium. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until it is fairly dry and no liquid is puddling in the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and allow to cool. When mushroom mixture is completely cooled, add it to the food processor along with the walnuts and parsley. Process until the mixture is completely smooth. Line a small loaf pan with plastic wrap. Press mixture into the loaf pan. Fold plastic wrap over the top. Refrigerate for 4 hours or over night. To serve, unwrap top of pate loaf. Place a plate upside down on top of loaf pan. Flip plate and pan over. Remove pan and finish unwrapping loaf. NotesThe loaf can be cut into slices, or you can just use a butter knife and spread on crackers. To get a nicely shaped loaf, try to get the plastic wrap as smooth as possible around it. When filling the loaf pan, tap it on the counter, and pull gently on the plastic wrap to smooth it out. To make it easier on myself, I actually line the pan and fold the plastic down along the sides. I use a different piece of plastic wrap to cover it in the refrigerator. The second piece will stick to the first and make a nice seal. But it’s also easy to remove when I’m ready to unmold the pate. This will keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to 5 days, so it is a good item to make ahead for a party. This pate makes a good spread on sandwiches, too! |