Christmas pate

 

Put a nice Christmas pate  on the table (by presenting it as a  real pate  , don't talk about fake liver, fake fat or whatever), everyone will love it .It is like fake foie gras or fatty  duck liver which is prohibited .

Even lentil haters will love these.

Preparation time:  15 minutes

Cooking time:  approximately 1 hour 

110 g of dry brown lentils (or 300 g of cooked lentils)

1 onion 

5 cloves

4-5 bay leaves

1-2 shallot (s) or 1 onion

1 clove of garlic

4-5 walnuts 

200 g of fresh mushrooms 

100 g smoked tofu 

30 g cooked beetroot

1 tbsp porchini powder 

1 tsp  4 spice mix ( pepper, nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon)

60 ml of white wine, or 30 ml of cognac or armagnac with 2 tbsp soy sauce (both versions are good, the one with cognac is stronger in taste) 

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt 

Preparation:

1. Rinse and drain the lentils. Cook in 3 times their weight in unsalted water with 1 onion studded with cloves, bay leaf and celery stalk. Allow about 15-20 minutes with a pressure cooker depending on the quality of the lenses. 

2. In a sauté pan, brown the chopped shallot ( or onion)  and the chopped garlic with the crushed walnuts. 

3. Add the sliced ​​mushrooms. Cook for about 8 minutes over medium-high heat.

4. Drain the lentils, remove the celery, onion and bay leaf. Pour into the blender with the mushrooms with walnuts, smoked tofu, beetroot, , the 4 spices, porchini powder ,white wine or cognac  and oil. Add salt .

5. Mix until obtaining a homogeneous pate .

6. Transfer to a terrine or glass jar. Cover with oil for preserving . 

Leave to rest for a few hours before eating on toast