The Flight Deck Lounge's Mushroom Walnut Pate Recipe

Mushroom Walnut Pate

Mushroom Walnut Pate

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup walnut pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup roughly chopped shallots
5 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped
8 oz cremini or baby bella mushrooms, roughly chopped
½ oz cognac or dry white wine
⅓ cup packed Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves, plus 1-2 whole leaves for garnish
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper (white or black as you prefer)
1 tsp chopped chives for garnish
Crackers, toasted sourdough, or endive spears for serving

Instructions:

Toast walnuts in a dry saute pan over medium heat, stirring often. When the edges are browned, remove nuts from the pan and spread out on a plate to cool.

Reduce heat to low, and put the olive oil, shallots and garlic in the pan. Cook slowly until the shallots are translucent and getting soft (at least 6 minutes). Add the chopped mushrooms with a big pinch of salt and the cognac. Cook until the mushrooms have wilted down and are starting to give off their juices, then stir in the herbs and ground pepper and continue cooking until soft and all the mushroom juice has evaporated. Carefully pour the contents of the pan and the toasted walnuts into a food processor.

Pulse in the processor about a half-dozen times, until the mixture has broken down into a chunky, pâté-like texture, but is not smooth. Taste it to make sure salt/pepper seasoning is correct (remembering that you’ll serve this at room temperature, when you can’t taste salt as well), then pack it into a small bowl or ramekin that holds at least 1.5 cups. Smooth the top, cover with plastic wrap or other airtight seal and refrigerate until needed.

Garnish with chives and serve at room temperature with crackers, toasted sourdough bread, or endive spears.

Complete the Pairing:
Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin
Mixed Green Salad

This earthy, herbaceous vegan appetizer pleases carnivores and vegetarians alike with its nuanced layers of shallots, garlic, mushrooms, walnuts, and rosemary. This dish pairs beautifully with full-bodied, textural red blends.