Miso-Spiked Carrot Pate

I recently saw a recipe for something called carrot pate that caught my attention. I usually buy organic carrots by the ten-pound bag, so I’m always looking for ways to get more carrots into my life. I ignored most of the recipe and added things at will, but the idea was sound: cook carrots, cook onions with spices, process both, add nuts, season to taste. Here’s how I did it:

1. Set  a pan of water to boil. Roughly chop about three cups of carrots (peel them first), and cook them in the water for about 5-7  minutes, or till they’re tender but not fully cooked.
2. Meanwhile chop a large onion and saute it in olive oil, along with some cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, and s&p. When it softens a bit, add the juice and zest of one large orange, and a small glug of carrot juice. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes.
3. Add the carrots and cook for another five minutes, or till almost all the liquid is gone
4. Finely chop about 1/2 cup of nuts in a food processor — walnuts are good, as are pistachios, but others will work too.
5. Add the carrot mixture to the processor, add a few tablespoons of yogurt and a heaping tablespoon of white miso,  and process till smooth. Taste for s&p.
6. Transfer to container with a lid, and chill.

I’ll probably be refining this as I make it repeatedly, but I was very happy with the results.  Placed on the table along with a good assortment of cheeses, smoked trout, cured meats, and good bread, it makes a really fine spread. Tons of umami from the miso, sweet from the carrots and onions,  and tangy from the orange juice and zest. One could get fancy and chill it in nicely shaped molds, and imagine it’s some fancy French pate. It’s a very nice vegetarian pate, however we mold it. I’m thinking it might be improved by dusting the whole thing with the nuts, as opposed to incorporating them into the pate.

It’s GREAT with rustic crackers and champagne.