Mushroom Pate’

A Recipe From The Cork and Bottle, London 5-96’

Tom and I Were Visiting My Sister Liz in London and Happened Upon a Tiny Downstairs Bistro-of-Sorts While Waiting to See a Play. There Were no Servers, Only a Case with The Few Choices on the Menu Displayed. The Ramekin of a Veggie Pate Looked Amazing, and Was. I Asked the Chef, a Delightful Jamaican Gentleman, for the Recipe and Here You Go….

½ # Salted Butter

½ Medium Onion, Medium Diced

2 T Minced Garlic, About 2 Large Cloves

1# Sliced Button Mushrooms

1 Cup of Sourdough or Dense Bread Cut Into Large Chunks

1     # Cream Cheese, Room Temperature, Cut Into 2” Pieces*

Salt and Pepper to Season  

• Melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent.

• Add mushrooms and cook until they are soft. Season.

• Add the roll and toss with the mushroom mix until softened.*

• Put softened cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Add warm mushroom mix and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings. Chill before serving, preferably overnight.

Serve On Croutons or Crackers Topped and a Dish of Pickled Red Onions for Garnish.

PICKLED RED ONIONS

1 Medium Red Onion Thinly Sliced

½ Cup Sugar

½ Cup Apple Cider or White Vinegar

• Heat sugar with vinegar in a sauté pan until sugar is dissolved and bubbly.

• Add onions and cook until soft.  Season to Taste.

Easily Serves 4 as an Appetizer

*You can eliminate the roll; the pate will be lighter and gluten free.

*I have successfully substituted Neufchatel Cheese, which is lower in fat and cut the butter to ¼#. Warning won’t be as rich but for those of us who like lighter it is delicious.

*Recipe divides or multiplies easily.