Tofu & Mushrooms Pâté

French pâté made with goose or chicken livers are well known. My family loves pâté and every time my sister, Mai, travels to Europe, she will come home with a lot of different kinds of pâté. However, another pâté that we like to have is vegetarian pâté, which is made with tofu and mushrooms. I prefer to have this pâté because it is healthier. My sister-in-law, Dung, made this pâté a long time ago, and I had a chance to taste it and know her recipe. Her recipe includes some cheese varieties, such as Parmesan and cream cheese. My pâté recipe is much simpler and without any cheese. I think my pâté recipe can be served to people with lactose intolerance. I also use assorted mushrooms to enhance the flavor of the pâté, but if these mushroom varieties are not easy to find, then just button mushrooms will work. In the morning, my pâté spread on a piece of toast is a good healthy breakfast.

Ingredients:
1 lb. firm tofu, drained
1 lb. mushrooms, such as button, king oyster, shitake, enoki, etc.
1/2 cup roasted mixed nuts
2 tbs cocoa powder
4 tbs skim milk powder
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sugar
1 shallot, chopped
1 cup white onions, chopped
1/4 cup peanut oil
1/2 stick butter, sliced

Directions:
In a sauté pan, heat oil. Add chopped shallot and onions. Stir and cook until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook until soft (about 10 minutes). Season with salt, soy sauce, and sugar.

In a mixing bowl, mash tofu. Add cocoa powder, milk powder, salt, and pepper.

Add cooked mushrooms into mashed tofu Mix well.

In a food processor, place the nuts and grind into small pieces and add all the tofu-mushroom mixture and process until it becomes a paste. Re-season again.

 

Overlapping the sides, line a baking dish with plastic wrap.

Pour the tofu paste into the baking dish.

 

 

 Cover the tofu with the overlapping plastic wrap. This method will prevent water from getting into the pâté when cooked.
Place a steamer over high heat and cook the pâté for 20 minutes.

Have a jar with lid ready. When the pâté is done and still hot, carefully scoop the pâté into the jar and place butter slices on top. Cover jar with lid and refrigerate.