Matthew Woolen is a master pastry chef and has worked in a variety of Seattle restaurants, including gastropub Old Sage, Zhu Dang, and a gluten-free restaurant called Capitol Cider.

Matthew Woolen

High-precision digital scale

3-quart Saucepan

Breville Super Q™

Digital instant-read thermometer

12-ounce Mason jar(s)

Raw cashews

Coconut oil (refined)

Shallot(s)

Button mushrooms

Garlic clove(s)

Cognac

Water

White miso paste

Tomato paste

Kosher salt

Sweet Spice

Black pepper

Low-Acyl Gellan Gum F

High-Acyl Gellan Gum LT100

Vegan shortening

Gellan gum: Low-acyl gellan gum is great for <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/vanilla-pudding">puddings</a> and <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/vegan-no-bake-chocolate-custard">custards</a>, since it helps to create creamy fluid gels; high-acyl gellan produces soft but elastic gels that are more like Jell-O. The combination of the two, along with the cashews and the addition of a little extra coconut oil, produces a creamy and spreadable mousse-like texture with a little more body. 

Using high-acyl gellan creates some technical hurdles. The most challenging part of this recipe is blending the cashew mixture with the gellan gums until it’s near boiling: A thick, bubbling, boiling hot mixture whirring around your blender at high speed is dangerous no matter how you cut it. But keeping the mixture hot is extremely important; if it cools, it immediately starts to set up, and it will be difficult to get the mixture out of the blender and into your molds unless it’s very hot. Work quickly and exercise the utmost caution. 

However, the fact that this recipe contains high-acyl gellan means that the mousse will also set up firm enough that it can be molded and sliced. If you’re super ambitious, you can (carefully) pour the (very hot) mixture into a PVC pipe that’s lined with acetate sheets and produce perfect cylinders of mousse that look just like a torchon.

Before we begin

Place cashews in a 1-quart container and cover by at least 2 inches of cool water. Cover and soak for at least 2 hours and up to overnight (recommended). Drain and set aside.

Soak cashews

Set up a countertop blender near your stovetop and place two 12-ounce mason jars next to the blender. 

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat 15 g coconut oil over medium heat until fully melted and oil is shimmering. Add shallots, mushrooms, and garlic, and stir to evenly coat with oil and spread in an even layer in the saucepan. Cover and cook, removing lid occasionally to stir, until shallots are softened and translucent and mushrooms have wilted and released most of their moisture, about 10 minutes.

Uncover saucepan and carefully add cognac (or brandy); if cooking on a gas range, remove pan from burner before adding liquor to avoid potential flare-ups. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced by half, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Cook aromatics and deglaze

Add reserved drained cashews, 275 g water, remaining 70 g coconut oil, miso, tomato paste, salt, <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/sweet-spice">Sweet Spice</a>, and black pepper to saucepan, and stir until well combined. Bring mixture to a boil and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Add cashews and seasonings

Transfer contents of saucepan to blender jar; wipe out saucepan and return to stovetop. Fit blender jar with lid but remove cap from the lid to allow steam to escape; cover opening with a kitchen towel. Blend, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high speed once a vortex has formed—a gradual increase in speed promotes smooth blending and prevents large pieces of cashew from sticking to sides of blender jar.

With the blender running on high speed, add both low- and high-acyl gellan gums. Continue blending until mixture is completely smooth, thickened to a pudding-like consistency, and registers between [f 200] and [f 212] on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Proceed immediately to next step.

Blend mousse

Once hydrocolloids are sheared into the mixture and hydrated in the blender, it’s important to work quickly when transferring the mixture from the blender to serving containers. The fluid gel will begin to set immediately once you stop blending and the mixture begins to cool. You can keep the blender running on a lower speed with the lid on if needed, but once you stop the blender, you must move fast. Set yourself up for success by having clean jars ready to go next to the blender.

Work fast with fluid gels

Working quickly, divide blended mixture evenly between prepared mason jars. Tap jars on counter to release any air bubbles and settle surface into a smooth, even layer. Place a small piece of plastic wrap directly over surface of mixture in each jar to prevent a skin from forming; alternatively, you can cover surface of the pâté with a fat cap of vegan shortening.

Add about 50 g vegan shortening to reserved saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. Once melted, spoon over surface of pâté in each jar to form a 1/4-inch cap. 

Transfer jars, uncovered, to the refrigerator and chill until pâté is completely set and registers [f 45] on an instant-read thermometer, about 1 hour. Once set, you can serve it right away or cover jars with an airtight lid and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Cast into jars and set

When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour. Arrange on serving platter with chosen accompaniments, such as toasts, crackers, jam, pickles, nuts, fresh or dried fruit, and mustard.

Serve

Pâté can be made in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. If the pâté is covered with a fat cap and left undisturbed, it will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

Make-ahead and storage

This vegan riff on foie gras mousse has all the flavor of fatty duck liver, with none of the distraction of ethical debates. It’s just plants, and it&#39;s creamy and delicious! By using cashews and two powerful <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/unlock-your-hydrocolloid-starter-pack">hydrocolloids</a>—low-acyl and high-acyl gellan gums—we were able to replicate the texture and richness of foie gras mousse exactly. With a little of the same <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/sweet-spice">Sweet Spice</a> mix we use in our <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/foie-gras-torchon-a-flavor-packed-french-snack-your-friends-will-freak-over">classic torchon</a>, and some miso, tomato paste, cognac, mushrooms, and aromatics, it also has the classic flavor profile and umami oomph of foie gras mousse. You can call it faux gras, call it vegan cheese, or call it imfoiessible pâté ... it doesn’t matter. Serve it up with toast points, and we guarantee everyone will love it.

Imfoiessible Pâté (Vegan Foie Gras Mousse)

This aromatic and versatile warm-spice blend is inspired by the spices traditionally used in French pain d’épices, a sweetened quick bread with an anise-forward flavor profile. We use it to add complexity to all kinds of preparations—from tasting menu dishes, such as our <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/american-toast">American Toast (aka The ChefSteps Breakfast Egg)</a>, to desserts like <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/pumpkin-pie">pumpkin</a> and <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/super-apple-pie">apple</a> pies, as well as savory recipes like <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/transform-pork-shoulder-into-a-spiral-fresh-glazed-ham">holiday ham</a>, <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/foie-gras-torchon-a-flavor-packed-french-snack-your-friends-will-freak-over">real-deal foie gras torchon</a>, <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/vegan-foie-gras-pate">faux gras pâté</a>, and <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/chicken-liver-pate">chicken liver mousse</a>.