Hors D'oeuvre

Carrot Pâté

(from Dining With Friends)

Serves four in theory, but there will be a few in every crowd who cannot leave this delightful treat alone for a minute. Many thanks to Chef Ron Pickarski, author of Friendly Foods, and to Eco-Cuisine, which copyrighted Chef Ron’s original recipe, for making this recipe available to our readers.

Ingredients:

2 cups carrots, sliced
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, slivered
1/4 teaspoon dill
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon arrowroot, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons white miso
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons tahini (sesame butter)

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan, sauté the carrots, onions, garlic, and dill in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water and cover; simmer about 20 minutes, until the carrots are tender. Purée the carrot mixture into a smooth paste and return it to the saucepan.

Combine the dissolved arrowroot, miso, salt and tahini. Add this mixture to the puréed carrots. Bring to a slow simmer, stirring constantly, and cook for about 20 minutes until the pâté detaches itself from the side of the pan. Remove from heat.

Turn the pâté mixture out into a lightly oiled serving dish and let cool. Serve the pâté with wheat crisps or as a side dip for vegetables, such as celery.

Tip: We recommend mellow white miso.