Savoury walnut and thyme vegetarian mushroom pate recipe

This mushroom pate recipe will deliver a rich hit of savoury umami in all the right ways – without even a hint of meat.

Best season to enjoy: whenever the vegans arrive (with dry vermouth over ice)

3/4 cup cooked cannellini beans
500g small portobello mushrooms
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp dried tarragon
1 cup walnuts
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4- 1/2 cup vegetable stock

The word ‘pâté’ invariably conjures up visions of goose fat, lardons of thick bacon and liver. But in truth, even vegans can get in on the pâté action. Any dedicated entertainer will have at least one vegetarian go-to in their cookbook library. One of the most consistently useful is The Veganomicon, which can get you out of those tight spots when you realise a friend is philosophically averse to both meat and dairy.

This entirely vegan pâté exploits the satisfying burst of natural umami from sautéed mushrooms, as well as the delicate savoury flavour of walnuts. And, it’s extremely easy to make, using ingredients you can find at any local supermarket.

First, you’ll need to organise your mise en place — disaster awaits those who start chopping when they should be stirring.

If you’re using dried cannellini beans — which do, sadly, taste much better — you’ll need to soak them overnight in three cups of water. Then cook the drained beans in a potful of water for about an hour and a half ahead of time. If you don’t have time, just skip this step and use canned, remembering to drain and rinse lightly.

If you’re a traditionalist and like your pâtés with meat, take a look at out other delicious pâté recipes here.

Roughly chop the mushrooms and put them aside in a bowl of their own. Squash the garlic and mince it finely. Snip up the thyme and tarragon.

In an oilless frypan over a low heat, lightly toast the walnuts until they begin to release their oils and darken just a little. Remember, they’ll keep cooking once they’re off the stove, so don’t toast too enthusiastically. Once they’re browned, set them aside to cool, then pop in the food processor and spin till they’re sand-grain fine.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onions and stir them evenly just until they start to go see-through. Add the garlic, and almost all of the thyme and tarragon, and stir for about a minute. Add mushrooms and lower the heat a little. Let them soften slowly for about 10 minutes.

Once the mushrooms are very tender, take them off the heat. Cool a little, then add your mushroom mixture to the walnuts in the food processor along with the beans, balsamic vinegar and remaining olive oil. Begin mixing, then add about a tablespoon of stock at a time until the pâté forms a thick, stiff paste you could spread across a biscuit.

At this point, you should taste the mixture, and add salt and pepper to your liking — a touch of extra salt can help bring out the mushrooms’ rich, meaty characteristics.

Line the bottom and the sides of terrine dish — or even just a plastic container — with a layer of cling-wrap. Sprinkle leftover herbs on that bottom layer, which will later become the top of your pâté. Spoon in the mushroom mixture, and let the mixture cool in the fridge for up to six hours.

To serve, carefully unwrap the terrine from the plastic. Accompany with crisp wheat biscuits, or some freshly baked pita bread. A glass of dry vermouth over ice, garnished with a slice of citrus, is a wonderful pairing with this rich (vegan!) dish.

#HisenseHack: for those who want to fancy-up this pâté, swapping half the portobello mushrooms for shitake can give it an even more refined flavour.

Savoury walnut mushroom pate recipe with fresh thyme

This mushroom pate recipe will deliver a rich hit of savoury umami in all the right ways – without even a hint of meat.

If you’re a traditionalist and like your pâtés with meat, take a look at out other delicious pâté recipes here.

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