Pecan Pate (V)

Mark made this vegetarian pate for the guests on one of Dawn’s Yoga retreats and to say it was a hit is an understatement.  We were all licking the bowl and more had to be made!  It is incredibly tasty and is another oft requested recipe.  Like regular pate, it goes extremely well on crackers, toast or oatcakes. Add to it tomato, some lettuce tossed lightly in oil and lemon with seasoning for a delicious snack or light lunch.

Making a pate for vegetarians/vegans is always a bit of a challenge as the consistency can sometimes be a bit tricky.  Make sure the liquid quantities are spot on or it could be a little sloppy.

To be a purist and make it vegan, substitute Vegemite with Vecon. Carnivores can replace with Marmite or Bovril for a more meaty taste.  Personally we LOVE the vegetarian option best.

Ingredients

120g breadcrumbs

120g Pecans

1 large or 2 small carrots

1 small onion

25g fresh parsley

2 tblsp Tomato puree

2 teaspoons of Vegemite (Vecon for Vegans, Marmite or Bovril for Carnivores)

1 tblsp hot water

The prep

1.      Finely chop the parsley

2.      Peel and roughly chop the carrots and onion

3.      To make the breadcrumbs, cut the crusts off 3 or 4 slices of bread, weigh the slices and then whizz in a food processor

4.      Put the Vegemite (or Vecon/Marmite/Bovril) into the hot water and stir until it dissolves

5.      Grind the pecans.  We would use the Bamix dry mill or this is an easy job for a mortar and pestle.

The method (This is the really tricky part)

1.      Put all ingredients into a food processor.

2.      Blend until the consistency is as smooth as it can get.

3.      Garnish with a fresh herb (I used Basil), cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours although the flavours develop further the longer it is left.

Yes, that’s it.  Very difficult.  Be prepared to make lots as this is really tasty and tends to just disappear.