Making everyone happy at Christmas is a challenge to say the least. In fact it can seem impossible at times, especially when it comes to food that suits everyone’s ever-changing dietary ‘needs’. If your mother in law has gone gluten-free, your nephew paleo, or your sister vegan (or all three….) it can be tempting to write BYOL (bring-
your-own-lunch) in the Christmas cards in the run up to the big day. When recipes like this pop up then, they can seem like a life-saver, and one you can serve throughout the year at any get-togethers, especially ones that involve guests gone dairy and meat free.
This vegan pate is full of protein and the cashews give it mood-boosting abilities (perfect for anyone suffering with Winter blues!) There isn’t a huge ingredient list, and it’s straightforward to make – so that’s one thing that won’t keep you in the kitchen for hours this festive season! Serve with crackers and even spread on toast or in a sandwich with the leftovers on boxing day.
INGREDIENTS
- 135g cashew nuts
- 3tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1tbsp Italian mixed herbs
- 3tbsp yeast flakes
- 2tsp sea salt
- 2tsp cracked black pepper plus an extra 1tsp cracked black pepper (for rolling/sprinkling)
METHOD
Soak cashew nuts overnight or for about 10-12 hours.
Drain the nuts in a sieve and rinse through with fresh water.
Put the nuts in a food processor together with the vinegar, herbs, yeast flakes, salt and pepper. Keep processing in short bursts, scraping down the sides frequently until the mixture is a soft pate consistency. (If it seems too thick and you need to add water don’t add more than 2tsp or the mixture will not hold its shape at the end)
Lay out a square of foil or clingfilm and plonk the mixture in the middle, roll up and form a log shape.
Alternatively, put the pate into a small bowl and put the bowl into the freezer. (Make sure the bowl is suitable for the freezer)
Place the log/bowl in the freezer for one to one and a half hours to firm-up.
Remove from the freezer and put in the fridge until required.
Just before serving unwrap and roll in the reserved teaspoon of cracked black pepper or if you used a bowl, evenly sprinkle the pepper on top and gently press down.
Serve with crackers and crudité.
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