POSH PORCINI PATE

Vegetarian food has come a long way over the last 10 years. I'm not a vegetarian but with having to cook for one regularly, I've come to love meat free food and I've discovered ways to make it so tasty that I don't particularly miss meat on a day to day basis. One thing I'd never made before was vegetarian pate. Shop bought stuff is so expensive so when I saw a recipe for a version in Mary Berry's new book I instantly wanted to try it. Now Bezza is the queen of cookery but I thought of a way that I could make her recipe better; by using porcini mushrooms!

I know I've just talked about shop bought versions being expensive so I appreciate that you might think porcini mushrooms are a bit of a luxury so if you want to make a totally bargaintastic version of this pate then order yourself a copy of Mary Berry's new book "Everyday" by clicking here. I bought it the other day as a little treat for myself and as usual it's full of amazing yummy recipes including the original recipe for this mushroom pate which I've adapted here to make it a bit more posh and special. I suppose most people wouldn't have porcini mushrooms so it's not really "Everyday". This more of a treat to make for a dinner party or even as a vegetarian starter at Christmas.

So as it's an adapted recipe, lets not talk about how we can change it and crack straight on with my recipe. It will make enough for four starer portions or as a big bowl for two to plonk in the middle of the table to enjoy with a glass of wine on the weekend. Perfect!

Posh Porcini Pate

30g Dried Porcini Mushrooms

1 Finely Diced Onion
1 Grated Garlic Clove
50g Panko Breadcrumbs
100g Cream Cheese
75g Soft Butter
1 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
1 Tbsp Chopped Sage
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Pinch Of Grated Nutmeg
Salt And Pepper To Season

1. Being by placing the dried porcini in a bowl and pour in enough water to cover the mushrooms. Leave to soak for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight).
2. Once the mushrooms are ready, place a lightly oiled pan on the hob at a medium heat and throw in the onions, frying until they bring to soften.
3. Drain the mushrooms but retain the mushroom liquid they have been soaking in and throw the re-hydrated mushrooms and garlic into the pan with the onions. Fry for five minutes, stirring continuously. Remove the pan from the heat and tip the contents onto a plate to cool for a further five minutes. 
4. Place the remaining ingredients into a food processor along with the cooled garlic, onion and mushroom mixture and give everything a blitz until well combined and smooth. Taste and season some more if needed before transferring your newly created pate to a large bowl and placing in the fridge chill for 1 hour.

Now you may taste the pate at this point and think it tastes a bit too cream cheesy but don't worry your pretty little head about that. After you have allowed the time for the flavors of the porcini's to really intensify in the fridge you will find that when you take it out to serve and eat that the strong porcini mushroom flavor has become more prominent making it the star of the show. Serve the pate with some crackers, biscuits or warm bread as a starter to a meal or as part of a selection of canapés and you've got yourself a proper perfect posh porcini pate that's going to properly impress!