Name: Mushroom pâté
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 25g dried porcini mushrooms; 500g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped; 3 portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 shallots, finely chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; few sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped; 50ml dry sherry; 250g soft cheese; ½ tsp black peppercorns, crushed

A glass pot of mushroom pate on a plate with crudites

25g dried porcini mushrooms
500g chestnut mushrooms
roughly chopped
3 portobello mushrooms
roughly chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 shallots
finely chopped
3 garlic cloves
finely chopped
few sprigs of thyme
leaves stripped
50ml dry sherry
250g soft cheese
½ tsp black peppercorns
crushed

Method

step 1
Put the dried mushrooms into a small heatproof bowl and pour over 100ml of just boiled water. Put the chestnut and portobello mushrooms into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
step 2
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the finely chopped mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Fry, tossing regularly, for 10 mins until the moisture has evaporated from the pan and the mushrooms are starting to caramelise. Tip back into the food processor.
step 3
Heat the remaining tbsp of oil and add the shallot and a pinch of salt and fry for 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and thyme leaves. Cook for another minute, then pour in the sherry. Drain the porcini mushrooms, keeping 50ml of the liquid, then finely chop the mushrooms and add to the pan with the liquid. Bubble away, stirring, until the liquid has almost all evaporated. Cool then tip into the food processor.
step 4
Add the soft cheese to the food processor along with the black pepper and whizz everything to a smooth pâté. Scrape into a serving bowl and serve.