Truffled Wild Mushroom Pâté {vegan}

🧂 Ingredients

• 2 tbs dried wild mushrooms
• 100 g French green lentils

  (3 ½ oz)
• 2 shallots

  finely chopped
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 300 g wild mushrooms (swiss brown/cremini king brown, button and wood ear),

  chopped, (10oz)
• 2 tbs cognac

  bourbon or port are also fine substitutes
• 2 cloves garlic

  finely chopped
• 3 tbs thyme leaves

  roughly chopped
• 200 g tinned cannellini beans

  drained (7 oz)
• ½ tsp salt plus more to taste
• ½ tsp truffle oil

  or more to taste
• ½ tsp soy sauce, gluten-free variety if needed
• ½ tsp agar agar powder
• thyme

  to decorate

Instructions

• 1 Begin by placing the wild mushrooms in 1 ¼ cups of boiling water.
• 2 Place the lentils in a saucepan and fill the saucepan with water. Place over a
  high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20
  minutes, or until tender. Drain and leave to cool.
• 3 Place a large frying pan over a medium low heat. Add 1 tbs of the olive oil and
  fry the shallot until golden. Remove from the pan and crank the heat up to
  medium high. Add half the remaining oil and cook half of the mushrooms until
  lightly golden. Remove from the pan and cook the remaining mushrooms with the
  remaining oil. Return the mushrooms and shallots to the pan. Add the cognac to
  the pan along with the garlic and thyme leaves. Cook until almost all of the
  liquid is absorbed. Leave to cool.
• 4 Once the mushrooms have cooled place in a food processor
  [http://amzn.to/2duM6Dn] with the drained lentils, cannellini beans, salt and
  truffle oil. Remove the dried mushrooms from the soaking liquid, keeping the
  soaking liquid for the jelly/jello topping. Process until it forms a spreadable
  paste (I like to leave a little texture in the mixture). Check the seasonings
  and adjust to taste. You can also add more truffle oil at this point as well.
  Keep in mind that the flavours won't be quite as distinct when the pate is cold,
  so you may need a little more seasoning and truffle oil than if you were eating
  it at room temperature.
• 5 Divide the mixture between 2 jars (or whatever serving dish you want) and
  refrigerate.
• 6 To make the jelly (jello) topping place the reserved mushroom soaking liquid in
  a saucepan along with the soy sauce and agar and whisk to combine. Place over a
  medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  Remove the pate from the refrigerator and pour over the top. Add a few thyme
  leaves and refrigerate until set.
• 7 Serve with your favourite crackers, toast or favourite vegetables.

Nutrition Info