Chef Amy's Mushroom Pâté

Recently our friend & incredibly talented chef Amy Sins was kind enough to share her recipe for Mushroom Pâté! 

This delicious (and vegetarian!) recipe pairs beautifully with our Tardy Pinot Noir, and is sure to be a hit any time of year. Save this recipe now, you're definitely going to want to come back to it again and again!

Ingredients

• 1/4 oz dried porcini mushrooms (Other wild mushrooms, particularly morels, would work well too)
• 6 tablespoons boiling water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• salt, to taste
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallot, green onion, or leek (I like to use a combination of leek and shallot)
• 5 cups fresh mixed mushrooms, sliced (Porcini, button, portobello, chanterelles, or any combination of these) 
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 4 tablespoons mascarpone
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Sprinkle of cayenne or espelette pepper 
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1-2 teaspoons truffle oil (optional) 

Directions

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in the boiling water for 30 minutes (or more if needed). 
2. In a large sauté pan over medium low heat, melt the butter and sauté the shallot until soft. 
3. Raise the heat and add the sliced mushrooms, keeping them moving until they begin to fry and give off some moisture. Add in the soaked mushrooms with their water, salt, and the thyme. Cook while stirring over high heat until the mixture is completely dry. 
4. Let cool completely before processing in a food processor with the heavy cream, mascarpone, pepper, lemon juice, and (if desired) truffle oil. 
5. Taste and season with salt as needed, then spoon into ramekins and cover with plastic. Chill overnight for best results. 

Note: Pay attention to texture, as the mascarpone and heavy cream will thicken it a little. Play with the texture until you find what works best for your desired results. Looking for something a bit more filling? This can also be used on top of a steak with puff pastry for a deconstructed Wellington!