Porcini Pâté with Hazelnuts

1. In a large sauté pan over low heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter.

2. Sweat the shallot until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

3. Raise heat to medium and add salt and pepper and half the mushrooms. Sauté until fully cooked and browned (about 7 minutes).

4. Turn off heat and add the Marsala. Remove to a plate to cool.

5. Return the skillet to medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter and cook the remaining mushrooms for about 7 minutes. Add to other mushrooms to cool.

6. In a food processor, pulse the hazelnuts until chunky. Add mushroom mixture, cayenne and nutmeg, and pulse only a few times until the mixture achieves a coarse, chunky texture (without large slices). Remove half of the mixture and set aside.

7. Grind the remaining mixture to medium fine, and then with the machine running add in the melted butter and vinegars and blend until creamy. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

8. Stir the reserved chunky mixture back into the creamy part, creating a country-style pâté that highlights both the individual and blended flavors of the hazelnuts and mushrooms.

Serve on crostini or crackers, or as a filling inside a

tart or turnover (just use a standard tart or turnover recipe, replacing the stuffing with this pâté).

Alternatively, you could stuff some morel or portobellos with this pâté, and bake at 375°F until the caps are tender and the filling is not and slightly toasted on top (about 15 to 20 minutes for portobellos, or less for morels). Yum!