Recipe: Almond Mushroom Pate (food processor)

ALMOND MUSHROOM PATE

1/2 small onion, quartered
1 small clove garlic
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, halved
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon tarragon, crushed
dash white pepper
10 ounces blanched whole almonds, toasted, divided use
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon heavy cream

In food processor with metal blade, process onion and garlic with on-off bursts until coarsely chopped; set aside.

Process mushrooms with on-off bursts until coarsely chopped.

Melt butter in medium skillet; add onion, garlic, mushrooms, salt, tarragon, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most liquid has evaporated.

Reserve 2/3 cup almonds for garnish. Process remaining almonds until coarsely chopped. Reserve 2 tablespoons almonds; set aside. Process remaining almonds to form a paste. Add mushroom mixture, sherry and cream; process until smooth. Add reserved 2 tablespoons chopped almonds; process with on-off bursts.

Cover and chill.

TO SERVE:
Mound pate on serving plate. Garnish with reserved 2/3 cup almonds. Press whole almonds onto surface of mound so that they are in a vertical position. Mound surface should be more or less entirely covered with upright almonds.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups
Source: Diamond Almonds advertisement