Goblin's Paté
- Servings : about 25
Don't worry about the spiders--they won't eat much! Just ignore the arachnids and serve this tasty appetizer with whole-grain crackers and a colorful array of crudités such as wedges of bell peppers, sliced turnip, celery sticks, cucumber slices, radish slices and crinkle cut carrots.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) raw sunflower seeds
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) raw almonds
- 3 medium carrots, coarsely shredded
- 1 cup (240 ml) chopped sweet onion
- 2 slices whole wheat bread, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 to 1 chile, finely minced
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Garnish
- 1 small cucumber (Persian or Armenian variety) for the stem
- 1 lettuce leaf
- 1/3 bunch watercress
- Plastic spiders
Directions
Step 1
Soak the nuts and seeds in plenty of water to cover for about 10 to 12 hours. The sunflower skins become loosened and float in the water. Rinse and remove as many of them as possible by rubbing the seeds between the hands and using a fine strainer to scoop the skins as they float to the top.
Step 2
Put the soaked nuts and seeds in the food processor. Add the carrots, onion, bread cubes, lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, chile, salt, and paprika. Process at least a full minute or two to create a fine textured paté.
Step 3
Spoon the mixture into a lettuce-lined plate, and form the shape of a pumpkin with the hands. Cut the cucumber in half and place it in the center to form the stem. With the fingers, form indentations to imitate the corrugations of some pumpkins and decorate with strips of thinly cut cucumber.
Step 4
Arrange the watercress around the base and toss a few plastic spiders onto the paté.
Reprinted with permission from Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise.
Photograph © Vegetarians in Paradise.
