Mixed Mushroom Pâté (Vegan)
There’s a vegetarian pâté I’ve been making for years now. It’s what I like bring to holiday parties and any festive, appetizer-centric occasion, really, because I know it’ll deliver, with its deep mushroom flavor, a creamy but sturdy consistency that allows for satisfying spreading, and a slight boozy whiff. It’s as close an approximation to its meat counterpart as I can imagine. And its success, I long believed, has to do with the quarter cup of heavy cream that goes into it. But over the summer, I started to wonder if there might be a nondairy approach. And to be honest it didn’t take long to find one—what can’t a little bit of tahini do? Here it lends the creamy body (helped by a thorough blend in the food processor) but doesn’t interfere with all the other flavors.
A jar of this pâté is such a treat to have in the fridge. I like it with carrot sticks, cucumbers, and crackers; smeared over well-toasted bread and topped with minced chives and a drizzle of good olive oil (pictured); and it’s excellent as a sandwich component, such as on a vegetarian or vegan bánh mì.
Mixed Mushroom Pâté (Vegan)
A cashew base, combined with caramelized onions, miso, and deep flavor of dried mushrooms give this pâté multi-pronged richness. If you don’t want to splurge on porcini mushrooms, I often make this using other dried mushrooms, such as hen of the woods, wood ear, and black trumpet mushrooms, or even a mixed “forest” medley works terrifically. You just want to make sure that they’re fully rehydrated, without any chewy core left in the center (slice one in half to check). And if you’d like to make this alcohol-free, use some of the mushroom-soaking liquid, rather than whiskey or brandy, to deglaze the pan.
Makes about 2 cups
1 cup raw cashews
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms, or other dried mushrooms (see above)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
½ teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
8 ounces crimini or button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons brandy or whiskey
1 tablespoon light-colored miso
2 teaspoons tahini
Freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl or tall glass, cover the cashews with hot tap water and let stand for 20-30 minutes. Drain and rinse. At the same time, place the dried mushrooms in a bowl or cup and cover with hot tap water and let stand for 20-30 minutes, until softened all the way through. Pick out the mushrooms, gently squeeze out excess liquid, and roughly chop them. Reserve the soaking liquid. (Soak the cashews and mushrooms while you proceed with caramelizing the onions and cooking the fresh mushrooms.)
Meanwhile, heat half the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, smashed garlic cloves, and a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring periodically, until sweet and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes, lowering the heat if they start to brown too quickly. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor.
Return the skillet to the heat and add remaining oil. When foaming subsides, add the fresh mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the liquid begins to pool in the pan, then add the chopped porcini mushrooms and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, until the pan has dried out. Pour in the alcohol and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the pan is dry. Add to the bowl of the food processor.
Add the cashews, miso, tahini, salt, and several grinds of black pepper to the mushrooms and onions and until very smooth, which will take a few minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides periodically. Taste and adjust seasonings. It will thicken as it sits, but if the pâté seems too thick, add a bit of the reserved mushroom soaking liquid by the tablespoon with the motor running. Scoop into a jars or a container, cover tightly, and refrigerate for several hours before serving.