Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Pate is a Fancy Word for Dip

I don't know what makes a pate different than a dip, but I've got a good one for you nonetheless.  Christine Waltermyer of The [all vegan] Natural Kitchen Cooking School presented this dish at one of her classes.  It was outstanding and, to my surprise, I was able to make it myself with ease.  I'll let you head over to her website for the exact recipe, but I'll give you an idea of what's in it: lentils, walnuts, parsley...and what's not: oil.  Sounds good, right?

pssst, I grew that tomato in my Topsy Turvy!

The result is a delicious, robust, slightly sweet dip/spread/pate of epic proportions.  I've tried quite a few of the similar ingrediented versions on the market that tout themselves as imitation foie gras (shudder); this one trumps them all.  The recipe says that it serves 4, but I'm assuming that's meant for non-gluttonous people small appetizer purposes.  I doubled it and ate it with crackers and raw veggies for dinner twice, but take that for what it's worth.  Incidentally, if you are preparing with a Magic Bullet it is easiest to fit the measurements as listed in one mug or the larger vessel.  As you can see, all I needed to do to double the output was to follow the recipe to the letter: twice.


While it tasted delicious, I do think I added a tiny bit too much water.  As you know, this simply makes for a thinner consistency.  Unfortunately, with this recipe it also makes the dish look a bit like, um, well, pooh unappetizing.  But, rest assured; it is delicious.  I'd recommend using as little water as possible (it doesn't firm in the refrigerator as much as other dips) and perhaps using a large pastry bag to make a fancy presentation.  Me, I'm too lazy; after the pics I was just dipping my celery & crackers right into the bowl like I had no manners at all!  But note: I did not double dip.

3 comments:

  1. Lentils might be my favorite legume, but I have noticed when I make them into dips, they often look kind of gross. I just do what you did — cover them with parsley (and paprika!) and did in. Thanks for the recipe.

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  2. Oh, paprika would have been a nice touch!

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  3. I feel a sweet hungarian paprika would work wonders! Thanks for the post!

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