Party Pate
Submitted by LuckyLinda
Vegetarian party pate made from pinto beans, TVP, and shiitake mushrooms with mirin and mace, baked in a water bath and served cold on crackers.
YIELD
28 servingsPREP
60 minCOOK
60 minREADY
90 minA vegetarian pate that actually holds its shape and slices cleanly. Pinto beans cooked with garlic and bay leaf get blended with hydrated TVP (textured vegetable protein), sauteed onion, soy sauce, and mirin into a smooth, savory paste. Strips of rehydrated shiitake mushrooms are folded in whole, giving you that rustic, speckled look when you slice through the finished loaf.
The TVP mixed with hot water and ketchup mimics the dense, meaty texture of a traditional pate. Combined with the pureed beans and seasoned with mace (the warm, nutmeg-adjacent spice traditional in French pates and terrines), the flavor profile lands surprisingly close to its meat-based cousins.
Baking in a water bath is what separates a proper pate from a bean dip. The water insulates the mold and cooks the mixture gently from all sides, setting it into a firm, sliceable block. Without the water bath, the edges overcook while the center stays soft.
Weighting the pate after baking compresses it as it cools, pushing out air pockets and creating that dense, spreadable consistency. A plate with a couple of cans on top works fine. Overnight in the fridge firms everything up completely.
Chef Tips
- Soak the shiitake mushrooms in hot water for the full 15 minutes. Undersoaked mushrooms will be chewy and tough inside the pate
- Blend the bean mixture until truly smooth. Any chunks will create cracks when the pate sets
- Oil the mold well or line with plastic wrap for easy unmolding
- Serve at cool room temperature rather than straight from the fridge for the best flavor and spreadability
Variations
- Use white beans or chickpeas instead of pinto beans for a lighter color and milder flavor
- Add a tablespoon of brandy or sherry to the food processor for a more traditional pate character
- Fold in chopped toasted walnuts for crunch
Ingredients
Directions
Combine beans, water, bay leaf and garlic in a large pot.
Bring to a boil and cook for 70 to 80 minutes until tender.
Remove bay leaf and drain beans.
Stir in salt, marjoram and oregano.
Combine TVP, hot water and ketchup.
Set aside. Sauté onion in olive oil until soft.
When mushrooms have soaked for 15 minutes, remove and slice into 1 inch strips about 14 inch wide.
Set aside.
Combine beans, onion and TVP mixture in a food processor along with mirin, soy sauce, pepper and mace.
Blend until smooth. Fold in the mushroom strips.
Pack mixture into a lightly oiled 1-quart mold.
Cover with foil, place in a pan of hot water and bake at 350℉ (180℃) for 1 hour.
Remove from oven.
Place a plate on top of pate and weight down until the pate becomes firm.
Let cool in the fridge. Turn out onto a plate to serve.
Serve as a spread on thin slices of melba toast or crackers.
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