Cashew-Mushroom Pate’
I was recently invited to a friend’s house for dinner and wanted to bring an appetizer that was tasty, easy to transport, and something different from my usual chips with bean salsa. So I pulled this recipe from my “Recipes to Try” binder. It was very simple and a great change of pace. The flavors meld really well together, without being too overwhelming. I served it with sliced sourdough bread. This recipe makes for a great party dip but my husband and I also enjoyed leftovers for a light lunch. Enjoy!
Cashew-Mushroom Pate’
Ingredients
1/2 cup cashews
1 1/2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
4 cups sliced mushrooms (buy pre-sliced this is the most time-consuming part of the recipe)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons cooking sherry
2 teaspoons chunky peanut butter
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Roasted red pepper strips, for garnish
Sourdough toast points, optional
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread cashews on baking sheet, and toast 7 to 10 minutes, or until pale brown, shaking pan occasionally.
2. Heat margarine in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, curry powder, garlic salt, and cumin, and saute 10 to 12 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned and most of liquid has evaporated. Add sherry, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until alcohol has evaporated. Transfer to blender or food processor, and add cashews and peanut butter.
3. Puree mixture in blender or food processor until relatively smooth. Transfer to bowl, and chill 2 hours, or overnight. Scoop pate into center of plate or bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and decorate with red pepper strips. Surround with sourdough toast points, and serve.
Here is a link to the recipe from the Vegetarian Times website.
Your food lovin’ dietitian in Cambridge,
Marci