Chestnut pâté

Luisa Morón, author of Cocinando con mi Carmela, surprises us today with the recipe to make a very special pâté. It's a chestnut, mushroom and smoked tofu pâté, a unique combination for you to enjoy every bite.

At this time of year chestnuts are among my favorite ingredients in the kitchen; nothing is better than making a chestnut cream, roasting them which is delicious or, why not, using them as an ingredient for a vegetal pâté that is super tasty, will please everyone and is also very healthy, suitable for vegans.

To preserve it, I recommend using airtight jars to ensure it stays in good condition for more days. In my case I used those from Luigi Bormioli, which allow you to separate the lid completely and you can serve the pâté directly at the table.

You can't miss it, since it's a simple recipe and truly no one will know which ingredients you used. Or will you be the one to reveal the secret?

Nezumi ceramic bowl by Tokyo Design Studio, wooden cutting board, Luigi Bormioli airtight glass jar, Mediterránea glass and Nezumi ceramic plate by Tokyo Design Studio.

Ingredients

• 80gr of peeled and cooked chestnuts
• 150gr of sliced or whole mushrooms
• 120gr of smoked tofu
• 3 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 coffee teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons of water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Cook and peel the chestnuts. To do this, bring water to a boil in a saucepan or a Shallow Casserole. Make a small cut in the shell of each chestnut and, when the water is boiling, add the chestnuts and cook for 20-25 minutes. After that time, remove from the heat, peel and set aside.
2. Clean the mushrooms well with a clean kitchen cloth and slice them (you can also use the stems). Cut the smoked tofu into small cubes. Peel the garlic cloves and slice them.
3. Heat a pan, when it's ready add two tablespoons of oil and add the garlic, mushrooms and tofu, sauté until the mushrooms begin to shrink. Let cook for about 8-9 minutes over moderate heat, stirring occasionally.
4. When they are almost done, add the chestnuts to the pan and leave for about 3 more minutes.
5. Add everything to a glass or food processor to blend, along with the remaining two tablespoons of oil, the water, salt and pepper. You should obtain a creamy texture.
6. Store in the refrigerator in a airtight glass jar.

When serving, you can place some mushroom or tofu slices on top as garnish, or slices of pickles or pickled pearl onions. Don't forget to present it with some slices of bread or toast!

The pâté can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the fridge, although I think it will last you less...! I hope you like it as much as we do at home, it's a very healthy and tasty pâté. At home it disappears every time I make it!