Super Bowl Snack, Mushroom & Hazelnut Pate

Mushroom & Hazelnut Pate Recipe

Quick and easy, healthy snack - - chocked full of  "super foods" yet, so decadent you feel shameful eating it.


No one will miss the meat. 
This vegetarian spread is a crowd pleaser, especially for mushroom lovers. 
This recipe could be made vegan if like  or RAW. I will note what changes to make below.

INGREDIENTS

1cup hazelnuts, unsalted,  roasted (can substitute walnuts or pecans for RAW version don't roast)

1/4 cup dried porcini mushrooms (rehydrate w/a cup of boiling water)

1 lb cremini or baby portobello mushrooms (or 1 store bought container)

2-4 dry packed sun dried tomato halves (if plump and large use 2 halves only)

1/2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese (substitute nutritional yeast for vegan &/or RAW version)

2 tbsp Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce (Tamari if you prefer)

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tbsp porcini soaking liquid (from rehydrating them)

1/2 tbsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Miso, Light

1 tsp Rosemary, chopped

1 tsp Thyme, chopped

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Serves with bread slices, feeds 6

DIRECTIONS

1. Place porcinis in a bowl and pour bowling water over them. Soak for about 1 hour to rehydrate.
2. Preheat oven to 400F. Place nuts on a baking sheet (do not grease or spray). 
3. Roast nuts for about 20-30min. Careful not to burn.
4. Remove nuts and allow them to cool.
5. Place remaining ingredients into a food processor or Vita Mix blender. Add the hydrated porcinis along with 2 tbsp of the liquid they soaked in. Add cooled nuts. Process until smooth.
6. Serve with bread, toast or crackers.

Braised Bison Osso Buco Pie

Quick, easy use of leftovers (substitute beef stew but or any slow cooked meat/veggies).

4 osso buco cut of bison (of course you sub beef)
1 cup white beans (rinsed, drained)
1 package of cremini mushrooms (sub any type of mushroom you prefer)
1 clove of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 small bunch of skinny carrots ~ 4-5 or a handful of baby carrots
1 bundle of fresh Thyme (4-5sprigs)
1/2cup rinsed pickled cherries-optional (could sub dried cherries or figs and 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp clove)
Fresh cracked black pepper
Beef stock or broth
1 package Demi-glace
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (optional)
1 beaten egg
1 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions:

1. Add all the above ingredients to a slow cooker.
2. Add enough stock to just cover the meat.
3. Spoon pre-packaged demi-glace (available at grocery in the sauce/soup aisle - small disc of concentrate) into slow cooker and mix into broth until dissolved.
4. Cook on High for 4 hours or slow for 8.
5. Upon completion of cooking, discard Thyme sprigs. Remove meat and pull from the bone. Discard bone, fatty tissue and tendon. If you desire - scoop out marrow and eat on toast.

For immediate consumption--
Skim off fat and serve meat, broth, veggies etc...over brown rice or mashed potatoes. Otherwise place contents into refrigerator and allow it to cool so fat can solidify making it easier to remove.

Pie can be made from leftovers or next day. If you don't mind the fat, can me prepared immediately.

To Make Pie:
Note: this will not use all the osso buco- there will be plenty remaining in slow cooker for left overs.
Pre-heat oven to 400F. Place some flour on work surface to prevent pastry from sticking.

1. Roll out pastry, keeping the rectangular shape. Roll dough just enough so it will hang over a pie plate on all sides. Place pastry over pie plate gently taking care not to tear (enough butter in the dough your pie plate does not need greasing). Using hands press dough into plate allowing extra dough to drape over the sides.
2. Using a slotted spoon, place drained meat and veggies into center of dough ~ 3-4cups of filling.

     3. Pull dough from top, right corner into the center.
     4. Repeat with opposing side (left bottom corner).
     5. Repeat again until all 4 sides have covered the filling.

    6. Cut several 2 inch slits into dough. Brush with beaten egg & bake for 30 min. or until crust is brown

In the last 5 minutes of cooking, make gravy to serve on the side.

   7. In a sauce pan heat on low 2 cups of broth from slow cooker. Bring to a simmer.
   8. In a bowl, mix cornstarch and 2 tbsp of broth making a roux.
   9. Add roux to simmering sauce & allow to thicken on the stove. Will develop a nice shine & it is done.

Dining at The Dogwood

Enjoyed a fabulous celebratory meal at Dogwood and thought I would share some highlights of the meal including the drinks!

First thing you should know is that 5-7 is OYSTER HAPPY HOUR! And--- it is progressive. How you ask?  Well, it is a brilliant money making idea. At 5 ---the featured type is available for $.55, each half hour the price goes up until 6:30 when then reach $1.25. Even better it is not restricted to the bar!

So, my dining companion enjoyed 4 Oysters and we each had a glass of the featured paired wine. A new one for us at $7 a glass. It was one of the best surprises in wine I have found in a while - dining out.

A 2008 Antech Reserve Brut - Blanquette De Limoux.
Another special for Thursdays is the Fried chicken which of course was ordered. Every Thursday night you can enjoy their Natural Buttermilk Fried Chicken sourced from Lancaster County (PA) piled high atop cheddar mashed potatoes, al dente veggies du jour & a Southern style biscuit. Lightly smeared in chicken gravy for only $17. Which is a steal in my mind - especially when you think of the effort it takes to coat and fry your own at home.

I enjoyed a series of "small" plates which were not truly small but man oh man so delicious. I would be remiss in mentioning that I had wonderful, delicate braised Escargot tossed with cremini mushrooms, squash roasted garlic cream sauce, apple-pumpkin relish all served on top a slice of Acorn Squash,  $12.50. I do not want the description leaving you thinking thick white looking sauce in fact it tasted a good bit of garlic and sweetened vinegar not heavy rich cream. I state this because we dug in and didn't stop forgetting to take a photo of it - it was that good! The snails were small, plump and about 8 on the plate. It was going just for this dish!

The next two and final plates were the following:

Sautéed Kennett Square Mushrooms

served on on parsnip-potato rosti, shiitake, oyster, hen of the woods mushrooms, chive-parsley nage $12.50

This dish as you can see is not so "small." Very light in flavors but hearty, meaty mushrooms. I did not see any shiitake on my plate - most were hen of the woods and I did not complain. Dense, chewy, earthy partners to the rosti. I did have to ask for a pinch of salt as well as a side of fresh creme or sour cream that I noticed was being featured with their smoked salmon because the rosti needed it. This dish was good but the flavors were flat and one dimensional. They happily brought us an herbed sour cream and salt shaker. This addition for the rosti - much improved the overall balance.

Seared Cape May Sea Scallops

sage roasted spaghetti squash with local apples, smoked bacon, pumpkin seed pesto $15.50

From the photo it is difficult to tell but the mound in the center concealing a plump scallop is the bacon and spaghetti squash with diced apples. The scallops were large, moist and seared crisp on the edges. Though I enjoyed the pumpkin sauce - I am not sure what was "pesto" about it. Pesto is and always will be a blend of herb, seed or nut with oil and spices. Even if this had pumpkin seeds in it - ground and then strained- no evidence or a toasted seed. From the photo you can tell the sauce was creamy smooth. I almost think they used the Vegan Pumpkin soup of the day made with apple cider as the sauce. Majority of the flavor was from the smoky bacon. Focal point was the scallop and the flavors did mesh well but I would say the menu markets the dishes or takes some liberties that most diners may not appreciate. I didn't complain because after all it was good!

Of course there was wine with this meal. Thursday also happens to be 20% off any Rhone region bottle. Can't beat that. We tried Syrah - Cotes-Du-Rhone, Mon Coeur. Full body and aroma - Chewy but with a medium level of flavor - not over powering. Spicy with hints of cherry - well to me.

Cheers!