MUSHROOM PATE SANDWICH SPREAD

MUSHROOM PATE SANDWICH SPREAD

Homemade mushroom pate with red wine, sweet onion, garlic and cracked pepper mixed with Silken tofu to create a delicious, creamy textured sandwich spread. Can also be served, minus the tofu, as a mushroom pate appetizer!

Makes 3 cups

1-1/2 lbs. white button mushrooms, washed, drained and dried in colander (this will only take a few minutes), then cut into chunks

1 heaping c. sweet onion chunks

1/2 stick margarine

1 t. salt

1 t. garlic powder

1/4 c. dry red wine

light sprinkling of ground nutmeg

freshly cracked black pepper to taste

12.3 oz. pkg. extra firm Silken tofu, squeezed in tofu cloth to extract liquid

Place a couple handfuls of cut mushrooms (depending on size of bowl) at a time in food processor and process till mealy, not mushy.

Process onion last – in the same way.

Over medium-low heat, in large skillet, melt margarine. Add mushrooms and onion.

Add salt, garlic powder, red wine, nutmeg and black pepper. Stir well and cook about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Raise heat to medium and cook till all liquid evaporates and mushroom becomes dry, pulling away from bottom and sides of skillet as you stir.

Mash with potato masher till pulpy, then continue to cook, stirring often, to extract more moisture. Remove from heat. At this point you have a mushroom pate.

Cool to room temperature, place in a terrine or other serving dish, cover and refrigerate till cold and ready to serve.

Serve with French baguette slices, assorted mustards (or your favorite single mustard) and sliced dill gherkin pickle.

To advance to a sandwich spread, which we’re going to do here, squeeze tofu in cloth to remove as much liquid as possible, then place in large bowl. Mash tofu with potato masher till mealy, not smooth.

When mushroom mixture has cooled on stove to room temperature, add to tofu. Mix, mix, mix with spoon till all ingredients are evenly distributed. Salt to taste to accomodate the tofu. Transfer to covered container till cold and ready to use. Give the mushroom some time to flavor the tofu.

Serve on bread, rolls or lightly toasted English muffin with mustard and very thinly shaved slices of sweet onion. Potato bread is a good choice.

Notes: I use stick margarine, so when serving as a pate it sticks together when chilled. Always served chilled.

Water-packed tofu works well too, producing a slightly coarser texture. Squeeze well to extract the liquid.

If you don’t have a food processor, chop mushroom and onion, separately, by hand. It takes a lot longer, but long ago when I didn’t have a processor that’s what I did, with equally good results. Just be sure to chop till evenly very small. You don’t want lighter colored chunks in your pate – for the sake of appearance and texture.