Virtual Vegan Potluck 2014: Arame Tofu Pate with Carrot Chips and Escarole

posted in: Legumes, Recipes, Sea Vegetables | 19

Welcome to The Virtual Vegan Potluck December 2014 edition. This is my fourth time participating and it keeps getting better. Thank you to the whole team of vegan bloggers out there organizing to keep the links rolling, but the biggest Thank You to Annie over at An Unrefined Vegan for being the main force behind this grand food adventure.

If you get lost somewhere along the way, just head back to The Virtual Vegan Potluck to find your place again. At the bottom of this page are links forward to Juicy Dishes by Mind Your Mind and back to the Seasonal Veg Head.

To this potluck, I am bringing an appetizer highlighting one of my favorite foods, aramé. I got the inspiration for this recipe from Cynthia Lair and her cookbook, Feeding the Whole Family. You can start with less aramé if you are hesitant about sea vegetables and add more seasonings and walnuts as well.20141208_130229

I like serving this paté with lightly blanched thinly sliced root vegetables like carrots, turnip and daikon radish. You may not want to bring daikon radish to a party, though, due to its smell. You could bring it to this party, though!! This spread is also one of my favorite sandwich spreads and corn tortilla fillings.

Aramé Tofu Paté

1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 block of tofu (about 7 oz)
1/2 cup dry aramé
1 tsp shoyu or gluten-free tamari
2 medium-sized green onions or 1/2 leek, chopped
1/2 carrot, diced small
1 1/2 tsp chickpea miso (I love the South River brand)
1 1/2 tsp unsweetened brown rice vinegar

1.  Toast the walnuts lightly in a skillet on medium low or in the oven at 300°. Watch them carefully because they toast quickly. Set aside.

2.  Soak the aramé in a small pan with 1/4 cup water until softened. Then heat it to boil and lower to simmer. Simmer until there is about 2 Tbsp of  liquid remaining. Add the shoyu/tamari and simmer for a few minutes more until the liquid is gone.

3.  Bring a small pan of water to a boil. Drop the tofu in and boil for 10 minutes. Remove and place on a towel to collect excess moisture.

4.  Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until the texture you want. I often place the walnuts in first and pulse a bit. Then add the green onion/leeks, carrot and seasonings. Then the aramé. Add tofu last. I like to pulse it until it’s combined, but still a bit chunky.

5.  Adjust seasonings with a little more salt or rice vinegar if you like.

6.  Serve with anything you would traditionally eat with paté, vegetable bites, crusty bread, tortilla chips. This is also lovely as a sandwich spread and as a layer in corn  tacos. 20141208_125933

 

 

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19 Responses

  1. Annie

    I always love to see what you bring, Teresa – always so creative yet simple and healthy! So glad to have you at the Potluck! xoxo

  2. sweetveg

    Thank you, Annie! I can’t wait to see what you brought. I have a hard time not looking ahead. xo

  3. Trine - Mind Your Foods

    So exciting and different! I have never tried to make a dish with sea weed besides from sushi – will have to see if I can get it in Denmark 🙂

    • sweetveg

      I really love it and it’s a great way to get more sea veg in your life.

  4. Shannon

    Haha, I love the comment about not bring daikon to a party… maybe VVP would also be a great party to bring durian fruit =P this is actually my first time hearing of a tofu based pate, but it sounds really good, plus super healthy/nourishing! Love it. Happy VVP!

    • sweetveg

      I took cooked daikon once on a plane. Oops!! 🙂

  5. Kayse

    I love arame! This sounds sooo delicious! I’ve never though of doing a sea vegetable flavored pate!!

  6. Hannah

    Oh yum! I’ve never had arame, but I hear great things. I need to try it! Happy potlucking 🙂

  7. Lovlie

    Arame is one of my favourite sea vegetable too. I love the mild sea smell. And I think I am one of the rare people who like daikon radish for its smell. lol. The veggie pate sounds delicious. 🙂

    • sweetveg

      Arame is one of my favorites, too! I like blanching it and tossing in grain salads and pasta dishes, as well as in this dish.