Nut Meat Pate Recipes

Steps:

• Spread nuts in shallow pan and toast in oven until lightly browned (note: if you're using a combination of nuts, toast each kind separately, as some take longer than others).
• Melt butter or margarine in large frying pan/skilled on medium heat.
• Add onions, garlic, mushrooms, salt, thyme, and pepper.
• Cook, stirring occasionally,'til onion is soft and most of the juices have evaporated.
• In food processor, whirl nuts to form paste.
• Add oil and whirl until creamy.
• Add mushroom mixture and whirl until smooth.
• Can be served hot, cold, or even at room temperature with fresh bread or your favorite crackers.

Steps:

• Put seeds and nuts in a medium bowl and cover with water. Soak the nuts for about 6 hours. Drain, rinse, and drain again.
• Reduce vinegar in a small, heavy bottom of saucepan, on medium heat, until syrupy, about 30 minutes.
• In a saute pan, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over high heat. Add in the onions, lower to medium high and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and continue to saute. Once the onions and mushrooms are browned, remove from heat.
• Rehydrate the figs in the Marsala on low heat in a small pan for about 10 minutes. Strain, reserving figs and Marsala and set aside.
• In food processor, add in the nuts, remaining oil, mushrooms, onions, basil, scallions, salt, pepper, and the Marsala drained from the figs. Blend well and adjust seasoning. Make sure the mixture is smooth.
• Spoon mixture onto a chip, place a fig on top and drizzle with balsamic syrup.

Steps:

• Bring lentils, stock, 1 3/4 cups water, onion, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, adding water as needed (about 1/2 cup at a time) to prevent lentils from drying out, until they are tender, about 30 minutes. Discard onion, thyme, and bay leaf; set lentils aside.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook, stirring often, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook until mushrooms have softened completely and shallots are deep-golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add sherry, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Remove from heat.
• Reserve 2 heaping tablespoons of shallot mixture for garnish; refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. Process remaining shallot mixture, the lentils, and nuts in a food processor until coarsely combined. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the egg whites.
• Line a 5-by-10-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing 3 inches to hang over each long side. Spoon lentil mixture into pan, and fold plastic over top. Top with another loaf pan filled with heavy cans. Refrigerate 4 hours (or overnight).
• To serve, unwrap top, and invert onto a platter. Bring to room temperature. Garnish with reserved shallot mixture and thyme sprigs. Serve with crackers.