Vegan Lentil Pâté

If you’ve had pâté before, the animal kind, and enjoyed it – then you will most likely be a fan of this vegan version. As you may know if you eat lentils, they almost mimic meat in that they are protein rich and super filling. While the flavors in this create a pâté that is unique, it is remarkably reminiscent of it’s animal-based counterparts.

If you’re skeptical, I don’t blame you. There are a bunch of less common, perhaps even intimidating, ingredients in this recipe. Finding Umeboshi paste (plum paste) took a trip to the local Asian Supermarket where I could not find it, a trip to my local health food store where it was too expensive for my wallet and finally a trip to Whole Foods where I splurged on it because I had a gift certificate. The Mirin (sweet cooking sauce) and Miso I picked up at the Asian Supermarket for quite a bit less than the regular supermarket/health food store. The French lentils I picked up in the bulk bins at Whole Foods and they were even cheaper at my local health food store. So all in all, it’s not a cheap dish but you’ll only be using a bit of the more expensive ingredients so you can make it many times (and I suspect after one taste you will want to) over.

If it’s the actual idea that this is pâté that makes you reluctant, perhaps you are vegan, don’t let that deter you. It doesn’t taste “meaty” by any means, it is reminiscent of pâté in that it has great depth of flavors.

Vegan Lentil Pâté

from Bojon Gourmet

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c dried green lentils (sometimes called “French lentils”)
• 3 c water
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 T olive oil, divided
• 1 med yellow onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 T Mirin
• 1 1/4 c walnuts (I used a combination of walnuts, pecans and cashews – what I had on hand), toasted in oven at 350 for 10 minutes and cooled
• 1 T fresh thyme, chopped
• 3 T miso (I used the yellow/brown variety)
• 1 1/2 T Umeboshi paste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil for drizzling

Add water, lentils and bay leaf to a sauce pan. Bring to a boil then cover partially and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes until lentils are tender but not mushy. Stir occasionally to ensure lentils don’t stick to bottom of pan. When lentils are done, drain and allow to cool completely. I suggest putting them in the refrigerator, spread on a plate, to speed up the process.

While lentils are cooking, add 2 T olive oil to another pan heated over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until onions are golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the Mirin and remove from the heat. Allow to cool completely, I put mine in the refrigerator to speed this up.

Add the toasted and cooled nuts to the food processor and process until they have become the consistency of nut butter. Add the lentils and onion-garlic mixture and process until smooth. Add in the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Drizzle with olive oil and additional fresh herbs for serving. I served mine with a baguette cut into thin slices.

You say “Tomato”, I say “Kumato”

The thing about dogs is that they don’t understand when you say “it’s too hot for a walk.”

When I tell him that, I’m met with a head-tilt to the right and then to the left.

So off we go. I wear the only shoes I can bear to wear in this heat. Much better for walks than flip-flops but not as hot as sneakers. Yes, they are TOMS. Yes, they are kind of ugly. But they are stupidly comfortable and I suppose I’m almost approaching that point in life where I accept comfort over style. Almost.

I read this face to say “come on lady, quit taking pictures… let’s go!”

Of course we stop at every hydrant/telephone pole/STOP sign for a sniff around.

When we made it home, both panting, I needed sustenance and remembered these “brown tomatoes” I picked up the other day.

Kind of weird or kind of cool? A Kumato, developed in Spain, is often referred to as a “gourmet tomato”. It is sweeter than a regular tomato due to a higher level fructose. The Kumato also has a longer shelf-life than a regular tomato.

Buying these on a whim, I had no idea how I was going to use them. After some consideration, I went with a simple salad.

I couldn’t have picked a better way to showcase these tomatoes, I mean “kumatoes”.

{Cold Kumato Salad}

• 6 Kumatoes, quartered and then quarters cut in half
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 2 oz goat cheese crumbles

Whisk olive oil and vinegar together. Add Kumatoes and scallions to a bowl. Pour olive oil and vinegar mixture over them. Mix together. Gently mix in goat cheese crumbles. Chill salad for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.

*Serves 2-4 as a small side

Have you ever seen/cooked with Kumatoes before? How are your pets fairing in this heat wave?

Fresh Caprese Summer Rolls

Fresh, fragrant basil. Juicy tomatoes. Creamy mozzarella. Nothing says “summer” like a Caprese salad.

I ate them everyday when in Italy. Okay, not everyday. I was there for 3 months. But I would have. If I wasn’t drinking bottles of chianti and eating bread dipped in buttery olive oil.

These are simple. Spring roll (rice paper) wrappers. Fresh basil, tomato and mozzarella. 18 year old balsamic for dipping.

I have thought about these every day since I made them. Make them. You will think about them every day after too. Bring them to a party, your fellow partygoers will hug you. No promises, but they should.

Inspiration here.

Sweat it Out–Eggplant Dip

I adore eggplant. Maybe even as much as I do winter squash. It’s just so versatile, healthy and tasty. Not too long ago I made a pasta dish using roasted eggplant and the puree was seriously one of the most delicious things I’ve tasted. I remember eating it by the spoonful –straight from the food processor. Then I made this dip and rediscovered how incredibly flavorful pureed eggplant is. And again, I ate it by the spoonful straight out of the food processor.

{Eggplant Pesto Dip}

adapted from Bon Appetit, June 2000

Ingredients:

• (1) 1 1/4 lb. Eggplant
• 1/3 c. Pine Nuts, toasted
• 2-3 Garlic Cloves, peeled
• 2 1/2 T. Fresh Basil, chopped
• 2 T. Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 1 T. Fresh Mint, chopped
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for brushing

Peel eggplant and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Place on large baking sheet; sprinkle lightly with salt. Let stand 30 minutes. This will “sweat” the eggplant – it is very important to bring out some of the moisture.

Preheat broiler. Rinse eggplant; pat dry with paper towels. Brush large baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil. Brush eggplant rounds generously on both sides with extra virgin olive oil. Place on prepared sheet. Broil eggplant until tender, about 6 minutes per side. Cool.

Finely grind pine nuts and garlic in food processor. Add eggplant and process to coarse puree. Transfer mixture to small bowl. Stir in chopped basil, parsley and mint. Season with salt and pepper.

Allow dip to come to room temperature and serve. Garnish with additional Basil leaves, if desired. Serve with a fresh baguette, sliced and toasted (optional). Or eat by the spoonful (recommended).