If you are a fan of English cuisine, you would know how amazing beef wellington is. It is basically the steak recipe which is made from fillet steak that’s coated with pate. It is wrapped in puff pastry and baked to make this savory recipe. This recipe is incomplete without pate, but if you don’t have it, we are sharing the pate substitutes in beef wellington for you. So, are you ready to check out the details?
Pate Substitutes In Beef Wellington
This is the simple and plain mixture of fat and ground meat cooked in the vessel (the vessel is known as a terrine). Pate is made by grounding up organ meat and scraps, along with muscle meat. It creates the meatloaf form. Generally, it is made from pig meat, but some people also use snipe, venison, boar, or partridge for making pate.
There are different variants of pate out there, and they can be made out of fish and vegetables. In case you are using lean meat for making pate, you have to add the pork fat to ensure better moisture content. It can be cooked in pie and makes a delicious addition to sandwiches and mousse. So, now we are sharing the pate substitutes if you are cooking beef wellington!
1) Edible Mushrooms
If you don’t have pate but don’t want to give up on beef wellington, mushrooms are perfect for you. There are different varieties of edible mushrooms out there, and you can choose whichever you want. Mushrooms can add the umami flavor to the recipe and has an amazing nutritional count. These mushrooms are readily available in the market (canned and fresh form).
There are some medicinal mushroom varieties out there, but it’s fine to use them as well. We suggest that you opt for mushrooms from the cooking aisle of the grocery store, and it will add the umami flavor. When you have to replace pate for beef wellington, it’s better that you chop and slice the mushrooms to replicate the texture and flavor.
2) Duxelles
If you don’t know, duxelles is a combination or mixture of mushroom stems, mushrooms, herbs, shallots, onions, and black pepper. It is made by sauteing the mixture in butter and is cooked until it becomes the paste. In some cases, people also add cream, but some recipes also allow sherry or Madeira. It is widely used in sauces and stuffing.
Duxelles are suitable for garnishing purposes. The best thing about duxelles is that they can be filled into the pastry and baked to make the savory recipe. It is usually made from wild or cultivated mushrooms. If you want to add a strong flavor, it is better to use duxelles made from porcini mushrooms. It is made by dehydrating the mushroom to reduce the water content and flavor.
3) Parma Ham
This is the dry-cured harm and is native to Italian cuisine. Parma ham is also known as prosciutto and has thin slices. It is usually served in uncooked form. It can be used for replacing or substituting pate in beef wellington. It can be wrapped around grissini and served with figs and melons. Parma ham can be cooked with spring veggies, such as peans and asparagus.
Some people add parma ham to pasta sauce, but it makes a great stuffing as well. It can be served in panini and sandwiches as well. Also, it works fine for Caprese salad, with the combination of tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese. All in all, it can substitute pate pretty well!
4) Veg Pate
If you cannot use the meat-based pate, you can also use vegetable pate. It has a nutty crunch with a rich and smooth texture. It is a suitable substitute for pate in beef wellington. In addition, it can be used as a spread to be consumed with fresh bread, crackers, toast, or celery. This is the vegan option and actually tastes amazing. All in all, it’s readily available in the grocery markets.
5) Tuna Pate
In addition to vegetable pate, you can also use tuna pate. Tuna pate is hard to find in the grocery store, but you can always make it yourself. Tuna pate can be made with canned tuna, three boiled eggs, two oz. butter, and dried tarragon. This makes a paste form and can be easily used in beef wellington.