Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Soak the Shiitake
- Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes until fully softened. Drain and squeeze out the excess water. Remove and discard the stems. Roughly chop the caps. Do not discard the soaking liquid. Reserve 2 tablespoons of it for the cooking step. The soaking liquid is concentrated mushroom stock and adds depth to the finished pâté.
Cook the Aromatics and Mushrooms
- Heat the neutral oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Do not let either brown. Browned shallots and garlic produce a bitter edge that carries through into the finished pâté.
- Add the fresh cremini mushrooms to the pan. Cook over medium-high heat without stirring for 2 minutes to allow the mushrooms to develop some color on the base. Then stir and continue cooking until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms are dry and slightly golden, 5 to 6 minutes. Mushrooms release a significant amount of water. They must be completely dry before blending or the pâté will be watery rather than spreadable.
- Add the soaked shiitake mushrooms and the reserved 2 tablespoons of soaking liquid to the pan. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the liquid evaporates. Add the Maggi Seasoning Sauce, sugar, white pepper, five spice powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
Blend
- Add the cooked mushroom mixture and the firm tofu to a food processor. Process on high for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth. Stop once to scrape down the sides. The mixture should look like a thick smooth paste with no visible chunks. If it still has texture, process for another minute.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. The pâté should be savory first, with a faint sweetness underneath and a gentle heat from the white pepper. Add a few more drops of Maggi if it needs more depth. Transfer to a clean jar or container. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Notes
On the shiitake soaking liquid: The liquid left after soaking dried shiitake mushrooms is concentrated with glutamates, the same compounds responsible for the deep savory quality in Maggi and fish sauce. Using 2 tablespoons of it in the cooking step adds depth without adding any extra seasoning. Do not skip it.
On the tofu: Use firm tofu, not silken. Silken tofu has too much water content and produces a loose pâté that does not spread cleanly. Press the firm tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel before adding it to the food processor. The drier the tofu, the better the final texture.
On mushroom varieties: Dried shiitake is the essential ingredient in this recipe. It provides the concentrated umami that makes this pâté taste like more than just blended vegetables. Fresh cremini mushrooms provide the body. King oyster mushrooms are an acceptable substitute for the cremini if unavailable.
On storage: Keeps for 5 days refrigerated in a sealed container. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface of the pâté before sealing the container. Direct contact with the wrap prevents oxidation and keeps the surface from discoloring.
On serving: Apply with a pâté spreader or offset spatula in the same way as pork liver pâté. Spread on the bottom half of the bread only. It is a fat barrier, not a condiment. A thin even layer is correct. A thick layer overwhelms the other ingredients.