The Easiest Mushroom Pâté Ever

If you're after a super easy way to use some of our gourmet mushrooms, this is the recipe for you. It works brilliantly for a quick canapé at Xmas, or any time of year really.

Works best with: any mushroom, although stronger flavoured ones such as freckled chestnut or shiitake make for a deeper flavour

Serves: 4-6 people as a starter

Ingredients 

• 1 punnet of mixed mushrooms (approx 200g)
• 20g butter
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g cream cheese (vegan or dairy works)
• Salt & pepper
• Dash Somerset cider brandy or calvados (optional, but highly recommended)

Method

• Chop the mushrooms
• Melt the butter in a frying pan
• Add the mushrooms & garlic, frying for approx 10 minutes, until all the moisture has evaporated
• If you’re using the cider brandy / calvados, throw a dash in near the end of the cooking to allow the alcohol to evaporate off
• Leave to cool for 5 minutes
• Add the mushrooms to a food processor & blitz - leave a few chunks if you want a chunky pâté, or blitz until totally smooth if that’s more your thing
• Add the cream cheese to the food processor & blitz until well blended
• Season to taste (we like it peppery) - you can add an additional tsp of cider brandy / calvados now too if you fancy it
• Spoon into a bowl of your choice, and leave to cool
• Once cool, cover & pop it in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the flavours to develop
• Serve with crostini, toast, sourdough, rye flatbreads or whatever takes your fancy

The pâté will keep in the fridge for a week.