Exotic Mushroom Pate Pt 1

Title:
Exotic Mushroom Pate Pt 1

Yield:
1 Servings

Categories:
Cooking




Ingredients:




-----------------------------FOR
MUSHROOM PATE-----------------------------


 1 1/2 c  Chicken broth


     1 c  Dried porcini mushrooms;


          -(about 1 ounce)


     1    Stick unsalted butter


   3/4 c  Minced shallot


     2    Garlic cloves; minced


   1/4 c  Dry sherry


   3/4 lb Fresh shiitake mushrooms;


          -stems discarded and caps


          -sliced thin (about 4 1/2


          -cups)


   3/4 lb Fresh oyster mushrooms;


          -stems discarded and caps


          -sliced thin (about 4 1/2


          -cups)


     1 c  Heavy cream


     4 lg Eggs


   1/4 c  Whole almonds; toasted


          -golden and ground fine


     2 ts Chopped fresh thyme leaves


   1/4 c  Chopped fresh flat leaf


          -parsley leaves; (wash and


          -dry before chopping)


   1/3 c  Fine fresh bread crumbs


 1 1/2 tb Fresh lemon juice


     2 ts Salt


   1/2 ts Freshly ground black pepper





----------------------------FOR
MUSHROOM TOPPING----------------------------


     2 tb Unsalted butter


     1 tb Olive oil


     1 c  Fresh shiitake mushrooms;


          -stems discarded and caps


          -quartered


     1 c  Fresh oyster mushrooms;


          -stems discarded and caps


          -quartered


   3/4 c  Whole almonds; toasted and


          -chopped coarse


   1/4 c  Fresh flat leafed parsley


          -leaves; washed and dried



-------------------------------ACCOMPANIMENT-------------------------------


          Assorted toasts; and/or


          -crackers





 Make pate:


 


 Butter a 2-quart terrine, 12 by 3 by 2 3/4-inches. Line terrine with waxed


 paper and butter paper.


 


 In a small saucepan bring broth to a boil and remove pan from heat. Soak


 porcini in hot broth 30 minutes, or until softened. Remove porcini,


 squeezing out excess liquid, and reserve soaking liquid. Rinse porcini to


 remove any grit and pat dry. Chop porcini and put in a large bowl. Strain


 reserved soaking liquid through a fine sieve lined with a coffee filter or


 dampened paper towel into another small saucepan. Simmer soaking liquid


 over moderate heat until reduced to about 1/4 cup and return to bowl with


 porcini.


 


 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large non-stick skillet heat 2


 tablespoons butter over moderate heat until foam subsides and cook shallot


 and garlic, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add Sherry and cook,


 stirring, 1 minute. Transfer shallot mixture to a blender. In skillet heat


 2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and


 saute shiitake and oyster mushrooms in batches, stirring, about 2 minutes.


 Add remaining 1/2 stick butter, cut into pieces, as necessary. Add 2 cups


 sauteed mushrooms to shallot mixture in blender and add remaining sauteed


 mushrooms to porcini mixture.


 


 Add cream, eggs, and almonds to mixture in blender and puree about 1


 minute, or until very smooth. Add puree to porcini mixture and stir in


 remaining pate ingredients until combined well.


 


 Pour mixture into terrine and cover with foil. Put terrine in a large


 baking pan and add enough water to baking pan to reach halfway up sides of


 terrine. Bake pate in middle of oven 1 hour and 10 minutes. Pate will not


 be completely set in center. Remove terrine from baking pan and cool


 completely on a rack. Chill pate in terrine, covered, at least 6 hours and


 up to 5 days. Bring pate to room temperature before unmolding.


 


 Make topping:


 


 In a large skillet heat butter and oil over moderately high heat until foam


 subsides and saute mushrooms and almonds, stirring, until mushrooms are


 tender. Transfer mixture to a heatproof bowl and cool. Add parsley and


 season with salt and pepper, tossing to combine.


 


 To unmold pate, run a thin knife around edge of terrine and dip terrine


 into a bowl of hot water 10 seconds. Invert on a large plate over terrine


 and invert pate onto plate. Mound topping on top of pate and serve with


 toasts and/or crackers.


 


 continued in part 2