Celebrate National Mushroom Day with The Bistro at Topsail

National Mushroom Day is coming up on Sunday, October 15! Looking for something fun and easy to make at home? Chef Bud Taylor from the Bistro at Topsail shares his go-to appetizer. His Boiled Peanut & Wild Mushroom Pate is great to snack on or to take to an upcoming party. 

Boiled Peanut & Wild Mushroom Pate

Ingredients
1 lb wild mushrooms (shiitake, chanterelle, oyster)
4 cups shelled boiled peanuts
1 T herbs de provance
8 T butter
Salt & pepper
1 cup minced shallot
1 T roasted garlic
2 T tawny port
2 T cognac
1 t balsamic vinegar
1 T aged balsamic reduction
1/4 t cayenne pepper
Zest 1/2 lemon

Boiled Peanuts: Ingredients
3-4 lb raw green peanuts in shell
1/2-3/4 cup kosher salt

Boiled Peanuts: Directions
In large pot place peanuts, salt, cover peanuts with water
Bring to boil
Reduce to gentle boil for 6-7 hours, until peanuts are soft

Pate: Directions
In a large skillet 2 T butter over medium heat. Add shallot and cook, stir frequently until translucent, 1-2 minutes. Add roasted garlic and herbs de provance, ½ t salt & ½ t pepper and cook briefly. Remove mixture from the pan and set aside.

In same pan add 2T butter and mushrooms and saute, stirring constantly until golden brown and the moisture released evaporates. Cook mushrooms until soft and tender.

Deglaze with vinegar Remove from heat. Add port, cognac, balsamic reduction, stir in and let mushrooms absorb liquid for a couple of minutes.

Place pan back over low heat and add boiled peanuts, stirring just to heat peanuts and incorporate with mushrooms. Remove from heat. Add lemon zest and cayenne pepper.

In batches place mixture in food processor and blend, slowly adding remaining cold butter until mixture has the texture of a traditional pate'. Adjust seasoning, pulse and transfer to ramekins and smooth surface.

Serve at room temperature. Pate can be tightly covered and kept in refrigerator for 1 week.
Bring to room temperature before serving.