Mushroom Pate`

Mushroom Pate`

A lovely choice for any party or a crowd. It is delightful as mushrooms and cheese make a yummy combination. Serve it up with seaweed crackers, plain toast, or even garlic bread. 
It is all divine.

A biscuit and mushroom pate` makes a delicious starter

The texture of the pate`

Even Mushrooms can look elegant!

Serves 15 to 20 people

4 tbsp unsalted butter

6 finely chopped green onions with the stalks 

650 g/ 1.5 lb of mixed mushrooms-washed, trimmed, and roughly chopped chanterelle, shitaki, Portobello, brown, and white cap

Salt and freshly ground pepper to season.

1/3 cup of  dry sherry

250g/ 8 oz room temperature cream cheese

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or coriander

125 g/ 4 oz chopped toasted walnuts

65 g/ 2 oz chopped toasted pecans

A few drops  of Tabasco

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

In a pan, melt the butter and green onions together. Give it a stir and add the mushrooms. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook until tender and all the liquid is gone, stirring it every few minutes. It may take about 15 minutes. Now add the sherry and continue cooking till it has evaporated.

Cool. 

In another bowl, mix together the cream cheese with the parsley or coriander, chopped nuts, and season it with Tabasco and lemon juice. Taking a handful of mushrooms to garnish the top, combine the rest of the mushroom mixture into it and place it in three serving moulds to chill overnight. Keep it covered. 

Tips

Mixing the warm mushrooms into the cream cheese mixture makes it easier to stir them in. Just avoid it being hot or the cheese will melt and spoil the texture.

A couple of drops of Tabasco and a tsp of lemon juice are enough to season.

Rum, port, gin, or vodka are all good substitutes for sherry. 

Use your favourite herb if you prefer. Both basil and chives work well with mushrooms. 

Leave 3 tbsp of cooked mushrooms aside to top the cup, as it is a great way to plate and serve up the pate`.

My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself and on amazon.

The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022. 

The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.

Photo courtesy Niloufer Mavalvala