MUSHROOM AND BREAD PATE

MUSHROOM AND BREAD PATE

A unique way of making, presenting and enjoying mushroom pate! By adding fresh Italian breadcrumbs to the mix, the glutenous nature of the bread, when left to set in the refrigerator overnight creates a pate you can slice with no detraction from the pate or its mushroom flavor accentuated by Minor’s Mushroom Base! Served with Nabisco Whole Grain Cracker Rounds!

Makes 2 small or 1 larger pate

1 lb. white button mushrooms, washed, dried in colander and cut into chunks

1 sm. yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks

1 stalk celery with leaves (not the dark green outer stalks), cut into pieces

1/4 c. corn oil

1 c. water

1 t. salt

1 t. paprika

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. ground sage

2 t. Minor’s Mushroom Base – measure level, and no more than 2 t. – it’s highly concentrated

3 c. fresh breadcrumbs made from frozen, then partially thawed soft-crusted Italian dinner rolls (not the ultra soft ‘bake and serve’ type)

freshly ground black pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Condiments:

veggie mayo

mustard (the kind without horseradish, since horseradish will overpower the mushroom flavor)

thinly sliced kosher dill gherkins

Garnish:

fresh parsley sprigs

Crackers:

use a mild cracker devoid of flavors except salt (I used Nabisco Premium Rounds Whole Grain Saltine Crackers ), for greater enjoyment of the mushroom flavor of the pate

Depending on the size of your food processor, place mushrooms, onion and celery in divided equal portions together in processor. Process till mealy, scrape insides and bottom with spatula, then add more and repeat till all ingredients are mealy.

Add oil and water, then process till evenly mushy – it should look like thin pureed baby food meat in a jar.

Add salt, paprika, garlic powder and sage. Process again till evenly mushy.

Pour into extra-large skillet. Cook at a slow boil to evaporate liquid, stirring occasionally.

Add 2 t. Minor’s Mushroom Base. Stir to evenly dissolve throughout.

Add freshly ground black pepper, medium grind, to taste. I like to taste the pepper in the pate.

Add breadcrumbs all at once. Stir with spoon to incorporate and thoroughly moisten, then mash with potato masher repeatedly to work them thoroughly into the pate mix, so that you don’t see any trace of bread, while pate continues to cook in the skillet.

Turn heat off and cool at room temperature till no longer hot.

Lightly oil bottom and sides of either one or two terrines or custard cups with extra virgin olive oil. Evenly and smoothly pack terrines with pate. Trim edges and rims neatly with thumb.

Lightly oil tops of pates, using fingers to gently spread.

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve, unmold pates by running a sharp knife carefully along sides. Invert onto serving plate. Surround with small ramekins of veggie mayo, mustards and sliced dill gherkins. Top pate with a little cracked pepper. Garnish plate with parsley. Serve with crackers.

Notes: I always wash mushrooms. They dry quickly and washing keeps gritty dirt from ruining the texture achievement of a recipe.

Be sure to serve cold, to get a clean-cut when slicing.

I buy Minor’s Mushroom Base at Gordon’s Food Store. It can also be purchased online at amazon.com and elsewhere. It’s a great product that enhances the mushroom flavor of whatever dish you use it in. It’s salty, because it’s highly concentrated, so you don’t need much. It’s also gluten-free.

If you’re making your breadcrumbs from hard-crusted rolls, don’t use the crusts, only the inner soft white part of the roll or bread.

This pate can also be sliced and used for sandwiches. Basically use the same condiments. Spread one half of a soft sub roll with veggie mayo and the other half with mustard.

Top the mayo half with very thinly sliced sweet onion, then slices of pate. Sprinkle pate with freshly ground black pepper.

Top the mustard half with thinly sliced dill gherkins. Close, cut and serve.

MINOR’S MUSHROOM BASE