Day 11 - Lentil Nut Pâté

This makes a lot of pâté, enough for 10 or even 12 if served as a starter with bread or crackers, so you might want to halve the ingredients or try, as I'm trying, to freeze some portions for later. If the freezing experiment doesn't work, I'll come back and update this entry.

The recipe is based on one I found here and have made a couple of times for celebration meals but it is actually low fat and packed with nutrients, ideal for this healthy eating month.

170g puy lentils (or those other grey green lentils that are the same but don't come from Puy)
1 bay leaf

200g mixed nuts (Brazil, hazel, almond and walnut. I was using up a bag of shelled nuts from xmas, but you could use all one sort of nut if you prefer)

2 tbsp. olive oil
300g onions, finely chopped
2 eating apples, cored and chopped, leave the skin on
3 (or more) cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
Calvados - a big slug
2 tbsp. light miso
1 tbsp. coriander seed crushed in pestle and mortar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Cook lentils with the bay leaf in lightly simmering water until they are soft. The time will depend on your lentils but between 25 and 40 minutes should do it. Drain and allow to cool a little before putting in the food processor.

Toast the nuts under the grill or in a hot oven for 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the onions, apples and garlic. Allow to melt gently over a low heat until softened through. Mix in the coriander, ginger and black pepper, then add a big slug (say a double, about 50ml) of Calvados or Brandy. Keep stirring over the heat while the alcohol cooks out and the sauce reduces. Turn off the heat and mix in the miso and vinegar. You need only a touch of vinegar, start with one teaspoon and see how you like it. Because the miso is so salty you shouldn't need to add any salt at all.

Put everything into the food processor and process until smooth. This will take a few minutes but shouldn't be a strain on the machine as everything is quite soft.

If you want to turn it out for serving line a mould with cling film, pack the mixture in and chill for a few hours. It should hold its shape but won't slice very neatly. Otherwise, make quenelle shapes or serve from individual ramekins.

This is better the day after making so it's great for catering for parties, and leftovers will keep for a week in the fridge. No mushrooms either!

Served tonight with lettuce, a bulgar salad and some of my precious little alfalfa sprouts.