Black Trumpet Pâté

1. In a bowl or jar, cover the dried Craterellus in brandy and let sit for about 45 minutes until soft.

2. Clean and roughly chop all of the cremini, and set aside.

3. Extract the reconstituted mushrooms, squeezing the excess soaking liquid (brandy) back into the bowl, and chop.

4. Strain the remaining soaking liquid (brandy) through a paper coffee filter into another bowl or jar, and reserve for later use (discard any dirt and unused solids).

5. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

6. Sauté shallots and garlic until soft (about 5 minutes).

7. Add all the chopped cremini and Craterellus, and salt and pepper.

8. Turn up the heat and cook, stirring constantly until the mushrooms' liquid evaporates and the mushrooms brown.

9. Add 3 Tbsp. of reserved soaking brandy* (or 3 new Tbsp. brandy if no liquid was left) and herbs, and cook until all the liquid evaporates.

10. Pour in the cream and stir, reducing until the cream evaporates and the pan is almost dry.

11. Transfer to a food processor and pulse the mushroom and cream mixture until you have a spreadable texture.

12. Add the nuts at the end, and pulse until the mushrooms mixture is fun and the nuts are spreadable but still chunky.

13. Season to taste with salt, and pepper and lemon juice.

14. Mix well and set aside to cool at room temperature.

15. Serve in a crock with crackers or a good baguette.

Zero waste tip: If you have any soaking brandy remaining after using the 3Tbs. in this recipe, it will have absorbed the earthy notes from the black trumpets. Don't drink it (even after straining it) because raw bacteria or wild yeast may remain in the unboiled liquid, and brandy's alcohol concentration isn't sufficient to kill them (especially after diluted by reconstituting the mushrooms). Instead, you can filter the reserved liquid a second time and cook it as part of other dishes, such as steak pan sauce, beef stew, mushroom gravy, risotto, etc. It can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator (not at room temperature), or frozen in ice cube trays for longer-term storage.