Vegetable Pate
By: Helen Pitlick
Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 5:53pm

Ingredients




2 bunches broccoli
1 teaspoon to 2  sea salt, to taste
1 pound carrots, scrubbed and trimmed
2 pounds mushrooms, including stems
2/3 cup whole shallots
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry
2 cups bars agar-agar or ½  agar flakes
1/2 pound firm tofu
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, plus additional dill for garnish

Preparation

1 Trim ends of broccoli stalks; peel. Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces and separate the florets. Slice the carrots. 2 Bring 2 quarts water to boil, add 1 tsp of the salt, and cook the broccoli at a slow boil for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Return the water to a boil, add the carrots and cook for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid. 3 Wipe the mushrooms with a damp paper towel and chop the mushrooms finely in a food processor. Place them in a cloth dish towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid; set aside. Peel and mince the shallots; set aside. 4 In a heavy 2-quart saucepan heat the olive oil and saute the shallots over medium heat until transparent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove half of the shallots and reserve. Add the mushrooms to the saucepan and saute on medium-high heat to remove all excess moisture, about 4-5 minutes. Add the mirin and stir for a few moments. Remove from the heat. 5 Soften the agar bars under cold running water. In a 2-quart saucepan, simmer in the reserved vegetable cooking liquid until dissolved, about 3 minutes. Keep warm on the stove, covered. 6 Puree the cooked broccoli in a food processor. You should have about 2 cups. Cut the tofu into 3 equal pieces. Add the reserved shallots, 1 piece of the tofu, 1/2 cup of the dissolved agar, sea salt to taste, and the lemon juice. Process again briefly to taste and adjust the seasonings. Spread this mixture into the bottom of a well-oiled 6-cup pate mold or 9-x5-inch loaf pan. 7 In a food processor, combine the sauteed mushrooms with a piece of the remaining tofu and 1/2 cup of the dissolved agar; puree. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Spread this mixture over the broccoli in the mold, pressing down well. 8 Puree the cooked carrots in the food processor. You should have about 2 cups. Add the remaining tofu and agar and blend. Stir in the chopped dill. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Spread this mixture over the mushrooms, pressing down well. 9 Chill the pate until well set, about 3 hours. Unmold onto a platter, garnish with dill sprigs, and serve.

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From The Natural Gourmet by Annemarie Colbin.