Mushroom Pâté Recipe

This recipe is courtesy of our friend Olivia over at IG: @liv_3kurtz

There is a world where you can whip up a light and even nutritional pâté spread and feel good after eating it! This R&R vegetarian rendition is a twist on the classic pork or chicken liver meat spread. It’s a very unique and satisfying way to utilize mushrooms in a new method. This recipe proves once again how versatile mushrooms can be in your kitchen and is especially fun to serve when you’re entertaining guests. This pâté was inspired by the new year and a goal of eating less meat – something I continue to discover is much easier when I approach cooking in a creative way. 

Mushroom Pâté – Makes appx. 1 1/2 cup of pâté

• 1/2 cup raw walnuts
• 1# R&R shiitake mushrooms
• 1 very large or 2 small shallots, chopped small 
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• Cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup parsley
• Olive oil, as needed

Special Equipment 

• Food processor 

Steps 

1. Preheat your oven to 325° F and lay your walnuts onto an ungreased sheet pan. Once the oven is to temp, toast the walnuts for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing halfway through, until there’s a toasted, nutty aroma. Turn off your oven and set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, prep your mushrooms by removing the woody stem of the shiitakes. Loosely chop them into small pieces; they do not need to be uniform. Chop your shallot, slice your garlic and have your spices nearby. 
3. Heat a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Melt your butter and add the mushrooms and shallots and stir to coat in the melted butter. Add the salt and pepper and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s okay if you do not get a significant amount of color on the mushrooms, you’re just looking for them to break down and get cooked and tender. 
4. Add the sliced garlic, cayenne and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes until the garlic is translucent. If the pan is dry and causing things to stick, you can add a drizzle of olive oil. 
5. Remove the cooked mushroom mixture from the heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. While it cools, pulse the walnuts on their own in the food processor on high until a sandy mixture forms. 
6. Add your parsley, torn into large pieces, and the slightly cooled mushroom mixture to the food processor with the blended walnuts. Blend on low and slowly drizzle in approximately 1 tbsp. olive oil until smooth. Towards the end you can increase the speed to high. You may need to pause to scrape down the sides of the food processor to ensure everything is getting fully incorporated. 
7. Transfer to a bowl or container, cover and chill in the fridge for 2 to 3 hours to set. Serve at room temperature with toasted crostinis. Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to three days. Enjoy!