Wednesday 30 April 2008

Bugs Bunny, Daleks and Carrot Paté

Q. What’s a wok for?
A. To throw at a wabbit when you don’t have a wifle!

Today is that wascally wabbit, Bugs Bunny’s 70th birthday. Like many of us, I spent many hours as a child laughing at Bugs jokes like the one above. So to celebrate I thought it was time to post about the carrot paté I made last weekend. Though I don’t know that Bugs would appreciate his carrots mashed with tofu and baked. Nor do daleks according to E. The paté froze solid in my fridge in the dalek lunchbox. Maybe if you had opened my fridge you might have heard cries of ‘exterminate, exterminate!’ (If you want to see the lunchbox, you can see a photo here.)

But one person who does love a bit of tofu is Ricki. It was her recipe I used for the paté. I have never made a baked paté but thought that hers looked like such a firm and colourful loaf that I have been wanting to try it ever since I saw it. So I was surprised when it came out of the oven and was light and soft like a mousse rather than dense and stodgy as I expected. Once I got over my disorientation with the texture, I really enjoyed it. I used fresh thyme as well as parsley and the herbs gave a pleasing flavour.

It has been delicious on toast for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I had intended to serve it for dinner with salad but the weather has gotten so cold lately I had to serve it with roast veggies and leftover nut roast instead. It is a summery dish so I intend to try it again in warmer weather when I want something light and tasty with a salad.

Carrot and Tofu Pâté
(adapted from Diet Dessert and Dogs)

450g (1lb) carrots
2 tbsp (30ml) olive oil
2 tbsp (30ml) cider vinegar
2 tbsp (30ml) white miso
1 tbsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
300-400g firm silken tofu
2 tbsp (30ml) cornflour (cornstarch in the USA)
1/2 cup (120ml) chopped fresh parsley or coriander

Preheat oven to 170 C (325 F). Grease a small loaf tin and line with baking paper. My loaf tin is 13 x 22 cm and the loaf was quite a lot flatter than Ricki's so I think she must have quite a small tin.

Cook carrots in lightly salted water until tender. Drain (Ricki says to cool but I didn’t). Puree carrots in a food processor. Add remaining ingredients and process until completely smooth.

Pour into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool in the tin for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn out onto a platter to serve. Serve with bread, dry biscuits or rice crackers. Beware the dalek lunchbox for storing leftovers!

On the Stereo:
Donec Ad Metam: Various Artists

12 comments:

  1. Sounds like pure genius - can't wait to try it! Thank you for sharing!

    Smita

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  2. I had carrot pate at a dinner party the other night and was rather impressed. Wonder if they used tofu...
    This one looks lovely.

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  3. So glad you liked it--even with the tofu in it!! I think I mentioned in passing that it had a custardy texture, but I guess you couldn't tell that from the photo. I also eat this for breakfats all the time--it may be my preferred way to enjoy it!

    Had no idea about Bugs' B-day. I also loved watching as a child (and whenever I can catch it today as well)--I always thought the cartoon originated when I was a kid, but thankfully I'm not THAT old yet! ;)

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  4. Oooh, that pate sounds really interesting, and looks lovely and thick. I will definitely give it a go if I can sneak the tofu past the other half!

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  5. thanks Smita - it is a great combination - hope you get to try it

    thanks Wendy - I am impressed you go to dinner parties where they serve carrot pate

    thanks Ricki - oops I must have overlooked the custardy remark but was interested to see what the baked pate was like, esp with tofu (I do like the stuff, you know). I was surprised at how old bugs bunny is - amazing what you learn when listening to the radio in the car!

    thanks Lysy - The Scientist will never guess - and it is delicious

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  6. How delicious. Just the thing.

    Made the veg sausage rolls last night and they were just as good as I imagined them.

    Happy blogiversary by the way! And, I love, love, LOVE the cake!

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  7. Heh. That's the kind of daft joke that I appreciate... ;-) Carrots are often underrated, don't you think? You should shout this recipe from the rooftops!

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  8. this carrot pate is new to me Johanna. looks lovely!

    Siri

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  9. thanks Lucy - we had sausage rolls from the freezer and were still marvelling at how good they taste and how much they look like the meaty sausage roll!

    thanks AForkful - I heard the joke on the radio and couldn't wait to tell others because it made me laugh so much!

    thanks Siri

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  10. Turned out quite delicious. My version was quite spreadable, because I gre impatient and pulled it out early :-) Its a great alternative to my usual bean and olive oil hummus like spreads. I really enjoy the versatility of tofu. Many many thanks for sharing.

    Smita

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  11. thanks smita - I really enjoyed this too because it is a bit different frm my usual spreads. Mine was also very spreadable which surprised me but having looked at a few veg pate recipes since, it seems this is quite usual with many pates

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  12. So, I'm preparing my post for the last week of the month and there in my notes I find, July 27th is Bugs Bunny's birthday. That can't be, I think to myself. I better search my engine. Lo and behold, I stumble upon this wonderful post of yours. Now, you know I will be serving this link up in April next year. Saved!

    As for the mixup in my notes, it seems that Bugs and Elmer made their debut in true form on July 27, 1940 so wiki says anyway:)

    Thanks for sharing, Johanna:)

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