Vegan Mushrooms and Lentils Pâté

 Variations:

• For spicing up this recipe, try adding your favorite condiment into the mixture (sundried tomatoes/olive tapenade/pesto). I like the original flavor but every once in a while it is fun to mix it up with a different type of spread.

• If you prefer a fat free option for this spread, you can remove the butter all together from the recipe. It will still be delicious but will not stay firm.

• Plastic film
• Food processor 
• Rubber spatula
• Glass container
• Mixing bowl
• Small saucepan
• Scale
• Strainer

• 130 g of white slivered almonds
• 1 x 8oz package of portabella mushrooms
• 2 cups of pre-rinsed lentils
• 1 large red onion
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tbsp of dried parsley
• 1.5 tbsp of minced garlic 
• 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
• Salt and pepper according to taste.
• 113 g (1 stick) vegan butter, melted

Your favorite choice of sweet jam/chutney to serve with

1. Pre-rinse your lentils:  Place the lentils in a bowl covered with filtered water for 6 hours. Every two hours drain the lentils and replace the water. 
2. Cook: Cut your red onion and saute it in a pre-heated pan with olive oil. Let the onion fey for 2 minutes and add the sliced portabella mushrooms. Keep cooking for around 10 minutes on low heat until the mushrooms are tender and some of the moisture evaporated.
3. Remove the pan and transfer to a different bowl to let it cool quickly.
4. Wash the pan and reheat it again, place the almonds in the dry pan, and roast without any oil for 5 minutes while stirring to prevent it from burning.
5. Place the drained lentils, the onion and mushroom mixture, the roasted almonds (keep a tsp aside for decoration), and the rest of the ingredients in the food processor bowl.
6. Blend well until you get a smooth paste-like mixture. Taste and fix seasoning according to taste.
7. Prepare the glass container - Place a flat piece of plastic film in the glass and cover all sides ( the plastic film will help remove the pate as a 1 smooth piece).
8. Using your rubber spatula, transfer the pate to the glass container. While transferring it, make sure to flatten any holes or gaps in the pate from all sides (look from the bottom too).
9. Flatten the paste until you get a solid flat-looking 'brick'. cover with another piece of plastic film touching the pate from the top.
10. Place the container in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
11. When serving: remove the top plastic film piece. Place a plate or a wood board on the top of the container, turn it upside down.
12. Pick up the corner of the bottom plastic film and carefully pull to help the pate fall out of the container.
13. Remove the rest of the plastic film carefully. decorate with your favorite topping (sweet jam preferred) and roasted almonds.
14. Enjoy!