A pâté or terrine of mushrooms and nuts wrapped in puff pastry has long been a favourite of mine. I keep changing and improving it, and this best ever. It owes some of its inspiration, especially the brillant idea of the tarragon, to Nadine Abensur and her Mushroom Wellington. It makes a stunning main course for a special meal, and goes with all the classic sauces such as cranberry sauce, horseradish sauce or a nice light, tasty Madeira Gravy. It slices well and is also great cold.
Serves 8 | Vegetarian/Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced roughly
- 225g cashews, powdered in a food processor or coffee grinder
- 225g ground almonds
- 225g soft wholemeal breadcrumbs
- 2tbsp soy sauce
- 2tbsp lemon juice
- 2tsp dried tarragon
- 1tsp yeast extract
- 500g puff pastry
- beaten egg (vegetarian) or soya milk (vegan), for brushing
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400 F/Gas Mark 6. In a large saucepan, fry the onions in the olive oil for 7 minutes, until tender, then add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender. Then tip the mixture into a food processor and blend to a purée.
- Put the ground cashew nuts and almonds into a bowl with the breadcrumbs, the mushroom purée, soy sauce, lemon juice, tarragon and yeast extract and mix well. It will be quite stiff. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Roll the puff pastry out on a lightly floured board to make a square about 38cm (15in) in size. Transfer the pastry to a baking sheet and heap the mushroom mixture in the centre, forming it into a loaf shape.
- Make diagonal cuts in the pastry about 1cm (½in) apart on each side of the mushroom mixture, then fold these up over the mushroom pâté to make a kind of plait effect. Tuck in the ends neatly, trim off any extra bits and brush with beaten egg or soya milk. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.
MADEIRA GRAVY
Heat 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of fine wholemeal flour and stir over the heat for a minute or two until nut-brown. Then add a 15g packet or 1 tablespoon of dried porcini mushrooms and 600ml (1 pint) water or vegetable stock. Stir over the heat for 2-3 minutes until thickened, then leave over a gentle heat for 7-10 minutes to cook the flour. Stir in 1tbsp of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of madeira (or sherry) and salt and pepper to taste. Strain before using (reserving the pieces of porcini to use in future cooking), then whizz in a food processor until smooth. Alternatively do as I do and serve the gravy with the porcini still in it.
From Vegetarian Christmas 2003.