the vegetarian butcher

FOR THE CHICKEN-LIVERED...

A paste made from baked chicken liver

Is a delicacy, but gives me a shiver

So I whipped up instead

A more palatable spread

Made of lentils, would you care for a sliver?

Lentil Pȃté (made from Kim O'Donnel's recipe in The Meat Lover's Meatless Celebrations)

There was a time long ago, I confess, when I would indulge in the odd bit of pȃté at a family gathering.  Just as long as I didn't stop to consider what it actually was that I was eating (chicken liver I think), it was thoroughly caked in ground peppercorns, and I studiously avoided the creepy jelly bits.   Never did I go so far as to sample foie gras, as the deliberate fattening of a bird for such purposes disgusted me even then, long before ditching meat from my diet.  But in those rare moments, I could appreciate the rich peppered flavour and the buttery texture melting on my tongue.  So despite my dietary choices, there is something about that look of pure sensual enjoyment on people's faces when they first dig in to a little terrine of pȃté that now makes me a little envious.  

But that green-eyed monster isn't enough to get me back into eating real pȃté, so I wondered if it was possible to create a vegetarian one that was just as rich and satisfying.  The only vegetarian pȃté that I ever sampled tasted dreadful and odd, with too many incongruent flavours fighting for dominance and the tin was promptly chucked in the bin.  I started my search with little hope.  

As luck would have it, I soon stumbled across a little recipe for a lentil pȃté in one of the many cookbooks adorning my shelves. (I seem to have a strong compulsion to buy cookbooks and save recipes, even when I don't actually cook from them).  It is in a really promising book by Kim O'Donnel:  The Meat Lover's Meatless Celebration. I say 'promising', not as a reflection on her capabilities, but of the likelihood of me making more of the delicious-sounding vegetarian feasts within!  Lentils often disappoint me however, and I had my concerns I would end up with a dirty, earthy paste, not the decadence I was seeking.

Lacking the required cognac or bourbon for this recipe, I instead polished off the remains of Chef's single malt whisky (in the pȃté I swear!) but mostly stuck to the plan. Okay, there were a few other deviations following some tips from Chef: the addition of a tablespoon of cream, pressing the final mixture through a seive for an extra smooth blend (says something about my food processor!), and sprinkling the top with a coarse peppery coating for my own benefit.  Not only was it easy to make but I have to say the result was a resounding success! I witnessed Chef close his eyes for just that brief moment of quiet appreciation (before I unveiled the empty whisky bottle).  He was pleasantly surprised at how decadent it was, and how similar to the real deal.  Obviously I didn't see the look on my own face when I had the first bite but the fact I nearly devoured half the bowl might be testament enough. 

For the Vegetarian Butcher.Co we might just bake it in a pie crust for a lentil pȃté en croûte you could impress any guests with.

So chickens, be not afraid, you can keep your livers, I can over-indulge myself just fine without them!