Fall and Mushrooms - Wild Mushroom Pate

I’m in a mushroom "kinda" mood this week. The weather is turning to the best of fall…warm days with lots and lots of bright sunlight glittering off the brightly colored leaves. I’m craving the kind of comfort food that is warm and creamy – but not heavy. This mushroom pate is super as a take-along for a evening with friends, and I always make just a little more for leftovers the next day. If my husband doesn’t get to the fridge first, I love, love, love it for lunch.

Wild Mushroom Paté

2 Unsalted Butter, divided

3 TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided

1 Shallot, minced

½ Tsp Fresh Thyme

16 OZ Combination of Wild Mushrooms

½ Cup Chopped Toasted Walnuts, plus more for garnish

1 TB Sherry Vinegar

4 Oz Goat Cheese

Sea Salt and Freshly Cracked Black pepper

Chopped Parsley

Step One

Heat 1 TB of the butter and 1 TB of the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion with the thyme and season with salt and pepper until it is soft. Remove the onion from the pan and place it in the bowl of a food processor.

Step Two

In the same pan, melt the rest of the butter and oil together and sauté the mushrooms with salt and pepper until they give up all their juice. Add in the sherry vinegar and then add to the food processor.

Step Three

Add the walnuts and cheese to the food processor and puree until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Taste the mixture for salt and pepper and garnish with walnuts and parsley. Serve with whole wheat toasts.