Mushroom And Sherry Pate With Homemade Melba Toast

Total Time: 26 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 11 mins

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick) or 1/4 cup margarine (1/2 stick)
• 6 cups button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 -8 slices whole wheat bread (or purchased melba toast)

Recipe

• 1 heat half the butter in a large sacuepan and, keeping the high heat, saute half the mushrooms quickly for 3-4 minutes, until just tender and lightly browned. if they begin to make liquid, the butter is not hot enough -- the mushrooms should be dry.
• 2 remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside. repeat with remaining butter and mushrooms.
• 3 remove 6 perfect mushroom slices and reserve for the garnish.
• 4 work the rest of the mushroom slices in a blender or food processor with the cream, sherry, and seasoning to taste.
• 5 spoon the pate mixture into 6 individual ramekins or pate dishes, level the tops, then press one of the reserved mushroom slices into the top of each.
• 6 cool, then chill the pates.
• 7 make melba toast:.
• 8 use the bread to make melba toast. toast the bread on both sides, then with a sharp knife cut through the bread to split each slice in half, making two thin pieces.
• 9 toast the uncooked sides under the broiler until crisp and brown -- the edges will curl up.
• 10 let the toast cool.
• 11 the melba toast will keep 2-3 days in an airtight tin.