4056 Campbell Ave.
Arlington, Va. (In Shirlington)
703-671-8700
Suzanne McGrath - President
Suzanne McGrath - President
Mushroom Pate
Ingredients:
1) 1 lb. fresh Mushrooms (any kind, but
a mixture of White, Crimini,
and Shiitake
works well)
2) 1 large Leek, white and light green
part only
3) 1 tbs. Butter
4) 1 tbs. Olive Oil
5) 1/2 tsp. Salt
6) fresh ground Pepper to taste
7) 1 sprig Rosemary or 1/2 tsp. dried
Rosemary
8) pinch Thyme
9) a few drops Worcestershire Sauce
10) a few sprigs fresh Parsley, chopped, or 1/2 tsp.
dried Parsley
11) 1/4 of a Lemon
12) 1/4 cup dry Sherry or Marsala Wine
13) 2 tbs. Sour Cream
14) 2 tbs. dried Breadcrumbs
Preparation:
1) Clean and chop the mushrooms, trimming
off the hard stem ends
(and discarding
entire stem from shiitakes).
2) Cut the leek in half the long way then
cut crosswise into thin slices.
If sandy, add
the slices to a strainer and rinse to clean thoroughly.
3) Melt the butter in the olive oil over
medium heat in a large saute pan.
Add the mushrooms
and leeks and increase the heat to medium-high.
Add salt, pepper,
rosemary, and thyme. Saute, stirring frequently, until
the mushrooms
release their juice, then continue cooking and stirring
until most of
the juice has evaporated. Add Worcestershire and parsley.
Squeeze the lemon
and add the juice to the pan.
4) Add the Sherry or Marsala wine and
cook until mostly evaporated,
about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool briefly.
5) Transfer mushroom mixture to food processor
and pulse until very finely
chopped.
Add sour cream and bread crumbs and pulse again until just
combined.
6) Line a small soufflé dish or
small bowl (about 2 cup capacity) with plastic
wrap. Pack
the mushroom mixture into the bowl, smooth the top, and
cover with plastic
wrap. Refrigerate until well chilled -- at least 2 hours.
7) To serve, unmold the paté onto
a serving platter and surround with crackers.
Wine Suggestion:
The earthy flavor of mushrooms pairs best with Pinot
Noir. Choose one from
Califorinia, like the 2002 Mark West Pinot Noir or
the 2002 Hangtime Pinot Noir.
Spinach, Chicken and
Pear Salad
Ingredients:
1) 1 bag Spinach, washed and thoroughly
dried
2) 1 whole Chicken Breast from a roasted
Chicken (You may also use two
skinless boneless
breasts. Simply marinate in a mixture of equal parts
Olive Oil and
Lemon or Orange juice, seasoned with Salt and Pepper and
Garlic, then
broil or grill until done)
3) 1 Four-ounce roll of Goat Cheese (plain
or peppered)
4) 1/4 cup Pinenuts
5) 1 Pear, preferably Anjou
6) Salt and fresh-ground Pepper to taste
7) 2 tbs. good quality extra virgin Olive
Oil
8) 1 1/2 tbs. good quality Balsamic Vinegar
Preparation:
1) Empty the spinach onto a work surface
and remove any large stems.
(Hold the end
of the stem in one hand while holding the base of the leaf
in the other
and simply peel the stem away from the leaf.) Transfer the
spinach to a
large salad bowl.
2) Remove the chicken breast from the
roasted chicken, then shred by holding
two forks back
to back and tearing the meat into bite-sized pieces. Add
to the spinach
in the bowl.
3) Unwrap the goat cheese and crumble
it over the spinach into the bowl,
breaking it up
into bite-sized pieces.
4) Toast the pinenuts at 300 degrees until
just beginning to turn golden brown.
Let cool briefly,
then add to the ingredients in the bowl.
5) Just before serving, peel and core
the pear, then dice into 1/2-inch pieces.
Add to the ingredients
in the bowl.
6) Sprinkle the salad with coarse salt
and fresh ground pepper to taste (omit
the pepper if
you're using peppered goat cheese).
7) Drizzle half of each of the oil and
vinegar over the salad and toss gently
with two large
spoons. If the salad seems dry, add more oil and vinegar.
8) Divide among plates and serve.
Makes 2 dinner-size servings or 4 appetizer
servings.
Wine Suggestion:
Serve with a chilled sparkling wine (e.g. a Prosecco
from Italy, Cava from
Spain, or California Sparkling Wine) or a crisp, fruity
white wine (e.g. a
Vouvray or a Chenin Blanc from South Africa).
Good Eating!!!