Mushroom Almond Pâté Food

MUSHROOM ALMOND PATE

Steps:

• Toast almonds and cool.
• Melt butter in a pan and add the other ingredients. Cook until mushrooms are soft.
• Reserving 2 T of almonds, blend the rest, adding olive oil as they blend. Stop when creamy and smooth.
• Add mushroom mix and blend.
• Place in serving bowl.
• Chop the 2 T of reserved almonds and put on top of the pate for serving.

EXOTIC MUSHROOM PâTé

Steps:

• Make the pâté:
• Butter loaf pan, then line bottom and sides with parchment paper and butter paper.
• Bring stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove pan from heat, add porcini, and let soak in hot stock until softened, about 30 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, transfer porcini to a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press on porcini with back of a spoon to remove excess liquid, then add this to soaking liquid and reserve. Rinse porcini to remove any grit. Pat dry, chop, and put in a large bowl.
• Strain reserved soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or dampened paper towel into another small saucepan. Bring to a brisk simmer over moderate heat and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add to porcini.
• Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add sherry and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a blender. Heat 2 more tablespoons butter in skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add one third of shiitake and oyster mushrooms and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cook remaining mushrooms in 2 batches, adding 2 more tablespoons butter to skillet for each batch. Add 2 cups sautéed mushrooms to shallot mixture in blender, and add remaining mushrooms to porcini mixture.
• Add cream, then eggs and almonds to blender and purée until mixture is very smooth, about 1 minute. Add purée to porcini mixture and stir in parsley, thyme, bread crumbs, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour mixture into loaf pan and cover with foil.
• Put loaf pan in a larger baking pan and add enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake until set 1/2 inch from edges, about 50 minutes (pâté will not be completely set in center). Remove loaf pan from baking pan and let cool to room temperature on a rack. Refrigerate pâté in loaf pan, covered, for at least 6 hours. Bring pâté to room temperature before adding topping.
• While the pâté comes to room temperature, make the topping:
• Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add mushrooms and almonds and cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and liquid they give off has evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool, then add parsley, salt, and pepper and toss to combine.
• To unmold pâté, run a thin knife between paper and edges of loaf pan. Invert a large plate over loaf pan and invert pâté onto plate (peel off paper). Mound topping on pâté, and spread on toasts and/or crackers.

VERMONT RECIPES MUSHROOM-ALMOND PATE

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large pan. Saute the onion, garlic, mushrooms and thyme over medium-low heat.
• Place the toasted almonds in a food processor with the olive oil and process until smooth. Add the mushroom mixture, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Process until the mixture becomes either a bit chunky or very smooth, depending on preference. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate, covered, for several hours.
• Serve with light rye bread, crackers, grapes, pears and Brie cheese.

ALMOND MUSHROOM PATE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt margarine.
• Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms.
• Saute until tender but not browned.
• Add tarragon, stir until it is softened.
• Pour mixture into a bowl of food processor.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Process until mixture is smooth.
• Add cheese if you prefer a more spreadable consistency.
• Spoon into a serving bowl.
• Top with garnish of your choice.
• GARNISH: slivered or finely chopped almonds, fresh parsley sprigs, pimiento strips, or sweet red pepper strips, optional.
• People who do not like ordinary pate seem to love this one.
• Vary the herbs and substitute the vegetables as you wish.
• Serve with water crackers, thick slices of crusty French bread, thin slices of whole wheat bread, or unsalted whole wheat crackers.
• May be frozen.

MUSHROOM ALMOND PâTé

Steps:

• Toast the almonds.
• Coarsely chop garlic, onion and mushrooms in a food processor. Sauté in butter over medium-high heat with thyme, salt and pepper to taste, and wine; simmer until liquid has evaporated.
• Grind 3/4 cup of almonds finely; add oil and process until creamy. Add mushroom mixture and process until smooth. Mix remaining almonds slivers through the mixture; put into a mould and chill.
• Garnish with parsley before serving.