Wild mushrooms create a stronger flavoured pâté, but a mix of mushrooms works well too. 

Words and recipe: Extract from The Grater Good by Flip Grater

Serves 6–8

INGREDIENTS

½ cup hazelnuts
½ large onion
2 cloves garlic
500–700 g mixed mushrooms*
2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch cayenne pepper
150 ml mushroom stock or vegetable stock
½ teaspoon agar agar
small handful of whole peppercorns

*I used a blend of wild mushrooms – porcini, puffball and birch boletes. Wild mushrooms will always give a stronger, more complex flavour but you can use button, shiitake – whatever edible mushrooms you can get your hands on.

METHOD

If you’re using whole hazelnuts, crack open in a mortar and pestle and discard shells. You want about 1/3 –½ a cup of shelled nuts. Spread on a tray and roast in a preheated oven for 10 minutes at 200°C until dark brown. Cover in a clean tea towel and rub to remove skins. Set aside.

Peel and roughly chop onion and garlic. Cut mushrooms into small cubes.

Heat margarine in a large frying pan, add onion. Fry for a few minutes until starting to soften, then add mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper and cook down until mushrooms are soft and liquid has evaporated. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.

Place mushroom mix, toasted nuts and agar agar into a blender and blitz until smooth. If omitting agar agar you can leave it out here, just blend mushroom mix and nuts and serve the pâté in a jar or bowl.

IF USING AGAR AGAR

Heat stock in a small pan until almost boiling. Add agar agar and stir continuously for 2–3 minutes to dissolve. Pour the liquid into your blender and blitz again with your pâté mix until well combined.

Crush a small handful of whole peppercorns in a mortar and pestle until half-crushed – you want some chunks rather than smooth powder. Spoon pepper into moulds and shake gently to coat the bottom. Gently spoon your pâté into the moulds, pressing and tapping to fill the space. Put into the fridge to set. Agar agar sets quickly but the flavours develop with time so ideally prepare it a day before serving.

Serve with cornichons and toasted bread.

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Recipes extracted from The Grater Good: Hearty, delicious recipes for plant-based living by Flip Grater (Koa Press, $44.95).