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Move over goose and liver pate. Vegetable pate tops this holiday season with festive seasonings and a colorful presentation.
A reader named Asia, who often ate at my deli, asked me for this recipe. She claimed that she "survived college in the late '80s/early '90s because of that veggie pate with the spinach and nuts on top."
This endorsement reminded me what a crowd-pleaser the pate is.
So, here's to Asia and to anyone who needs a tasty dish that can be prepared ahead of time for an appetizer, main dish or potluck offering.
Vegetable pate
Prep: 40 minutes
Cook: 60 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
5 carrots
4 ribs celery
1 large onion
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped medium-fine
¾ cup tahini
2 tablespoons miso
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1½ teaspoons each: paprika, thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
½ teaspoon each: allspice, nutmeg, pepper
3 cups soft, whole grain breadcrumbs, loosely packed
9 ounce (or larger) bag fresh spinach
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ground walnuts
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Chop carrots, celery and onion into 2-3 inch chunks; heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped vegetables, garlic, water and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover and cook, turning heat to low after vegetables begin to steam, 10 minutes. Vegetables will still be crisp. Grind coarsely in a food processor.
2. With a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a large bowl. (Save cooking liquid to use in a soup.) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms; season with a pinch of salt. Cook, 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl with a slotted spoon. (Use remaining liquid in a soup.)
3. Mix tahini and miso with the herbs and spices; stir into vegetables. Stir in breadcrumbs. Transfer mixture to an oiled 9-inch spring form pan; bake, 60 minutes.
4.Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet on medium heat. Add spinach; cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup walnuts and a pinch of salt. Grind the mixture in a food processor for several seconds. Spread over the baked pate. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons walnuts. Place tomatoes, cut side down, around edge of pan. Bake, 5 minutes. Let cool. Gently slide a knife around sides of pan. Cut into wedges.
Nutrition information:
Per serving: 262 calories, 16 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 25 g carbohydrates, 8 g protein, 296 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.
Kay Stepkin is a vegetarian cooking instructor and former owner of a vegetarian restaurant/whole-grain bakery. Email her at foods@tribune.com.