Pair this Green Lentil Pâté with a kale and persimmon salad to add even more texture, color and savory flavors to your Thanksgiving dinner table!
This is one of my favorite dishes to serve for Thanksgiving. Green lentils are a great source of protein and bring a rich and robust flavor to the dish, especially when paired with crimini mushrooms, sautéed shallots and roasted hazelnuts. Pair this Green Lentil Pâté with a kale and persimmon salad to add even more texture, color and savory flavors to your Thanksgiving dinner table.
Surya’s Lentil Pâté
Makes about 3 cups, 8 – 10 appetizer-sized servings
Ingredients:
1 c green lentils
1 c crimini mushrooms, sliced
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons olive oil (divided use)
6 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon mirin
1 ¼ c toasted hazelnuts
1/3 c fresh parsley
1 T dried thyme
1/2 small yellow onion
3 c sliced shallots
3 tablespoons yellow miso
1 1/2 tablespoons umeboshi paste
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
extra olive oil, for drizzling
Instructions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils, half onion, water, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the lentils are very tender (but not falling apart), 20 – 30 minutes. Drain, discard the bay leaf, and cool completely (you can speed this up by spreading the lentils out on a plate and sticking them in the fridge).
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently and reducing the heat if necessary, until the shallots are golden, about 10-15 minutes. Saute the mushrooms until soft, add to shallots. Stir in the mirin and remove from the heat. Cool completely (to speed up the process, see lentils, above).
Place the toasted hazelnuts in the bowl of a food processor and puree until it looks like nut butter, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the cooled lentils and the onion mixture and puree smooth. Add in the miso, umeboshi, pepper, and remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and blend until smooth. Add fresh herbs to taste.
Drizzle with olive oil and chopped parsley, and serve with your favorite crackers or sliced baguette!
Enjoy!
