Vegan Fish Pâté: For A Portuguese Couvert
Easy to make, this plant-based take on a classic Portuguese couvert dish, sardine pâté, is perfect fare for a relaxed homemade lunch or simple starter. Surprisingly rich and savoury, this vegan "fish" pâté tastes just a little bit fishy.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 185kcal
Ingredients
- 240 g cooked chickpeas drained
- 1 tbsp capers finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic small to medium - finely grated, chopped or crushed
- ¾ tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ lemon juice and zest
- 1 tsp nori flakes
- ¾ tsp piri piri seasoning (optional)
- 1 good grinding of black pepper only needed if omitting piri piri - can swap for white peppercorns
- 2 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- fine sea salt if needed
Instructions
- Roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork or potato masher. Aim for a coarse, pâté-like texture with some creaminess and some structure.240 g cooked chickpeas
- Stir in the garlic, lemon zest and capers.1 tbsp capers, 1 clove garlic
- Add the mustard, nori flakes, pepper or piri piri (if using) and 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice. Give another good stir.¾ tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp nori flakes, ¾ tsp piri piri seasoning, 1 good grinding of black pepper
- Gradually add the olive oil and stir as you go until the mixture becomes rich and spreadable.2 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Taste test at this point. Depending on what type of chickpeas you used, you may not need to add any salt especially as capers are usually very salty. Add a pinch or two if you feel it needs it. If the pâté feels too thick, loosen with a little more lemon juice, but be careful not to overdo it.fine sea salt
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. The flavours mellow and deepen as they rest.
- Bring back to room temperature and drizzle with a little more olive oil, if liked. A sprinkling of chopped parsley is good too. Serve with crusty bread, butter, olives and pickled carrots.
Notes
Serves 4 as a light lunch and 6-8 as a starter or appetiser.
If using tinned chickpeas, make sure they're nice and soft before mashing. If they're at all hard, boil them in water for five to ten minutes or until they're easily mashable. Jarred chickpeas are usually soft enough.
You’ll find additional tips and info about this recipe in the main body of the post.
Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.
Nutrition
Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 203mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg