Mushroom and Watercress Pate

Mushroom & Watercress Pate

It seems I have several recipes (or things I create on auto-pilot) that I've been doing for so long I have no idea where the recipe originally came from. This definitely fits into that category. Let's see, the Boy is almost 18 and I was making this long long before he made the scene - geez I'm old. The Boy, as a young child and still today, will take the pate and make a sandwich and carry it to school with him. Can't say that I blame him really. It's good. The bitterness of the cress, the deep flavor of the mushrooms, the oniony bit, and the creaminess of the cream cheese make this a standard for me. 
Watercress grows in cool running water and is a member of the mustard family. I understand that it grows wild in certain parts of the country, but not here. Watercress, so often ignored, is a wonderful green. I love love love it on an egg salad sandwich too. It's peppery/bitter/something. I don't know, but I know I like it. 

Mushrooms, scallions, watercress

Recipe:
4 oz Watercress, rinsed and dried
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz crimini or white mushrooms, sliced
Scallions, 4-6, sliced or other oniony type thing you like, shallots, perhaps?
Balsamic vinegar
Lime wedges


Heat a saute pan on medium-low heat and add about a tablespoon of olive oil. Saute the scallions until soft, add sliced mushrooms and saute until they release liquid and then begin to dry a bit. Add about a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and let it cook out. Add the cress and mix to wilt. Remove from heat. Let veg mix cool a bit. To the bowl of the food processor, add the veg mix and the cream cheese. Blend until throughly mixed. Turn out into ceramic or glass box. Cover and refrigerate. 

Ready to be processed

To serve, slice a baguette and toast lightly in the oven. Top with pate and serve with wedges of lime to squeeze over the toasts. (Lime is not optional)

Pasta Sauce

I don't have a recipe per se for pasta sauce - which I call spaghetti sauce, but I use for all kinds of things. This is something I make w/out using a recipe and change every time I make but only slightly. This is also sneaky - a way to get a few extra veggies in when no one is paying attention. This is weekend thing so I don't have to cook at least one night a week  and is easy to double and freezes like a very cold dream.


Onions - how ever much you want - for a double recipe - I use at least 1 1/2 large onions, but maybe more or less and type doesn't matter too much (yellow, white, red, whatever)
Carrots - grated on a box grater - sneaky vegetable - usually about 4 ish but could be more or less depending on size and how many are in the fridge

Saute onions - I start them first w/olive oil and get them going while grating carrots. Add carrots (all extras peels from onions, carrots and mushrooms, etc. go to compost bin). Saute until they start to soften. In the mean time (what does that mean really?)...slice mushrooms - sneaky vegetable #2 and add to mixture - let cook until the mushrooms dry out a bit (takes a little while, suck it up and deal). Now the fun starts.
Add:
handful of dried oregano, handful of dried basil, garlic (how ever much you like) and cook until fragrant - you'll know. And then ... the wine. Add red wine - now -- right when the pot starts to dry out, turn up the temp a bit and then hit it w/some much needed alcohol. I use red wine - typically Merlot since that's what I like and let is simmer until almost gone - Those handy dandy little single serving bottles work well in this application. I suppose you could do without, but why the hell would you? 
Then and only then do you add the tomatoes. And again - whatever you have - I've used whole, diced, crushed - 2 large cans.. doesn't really matter they all break down in the end. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and let it go until you're happy with it - I tend to simmer for an hour or so - turn off for an hour or two and then bring back to simmer and then store - might not matter - probably just a habit, but I don't question it.

This is a vegetarian sauce- probably because I started making it when I was a vegetarian. I have since gotten over than phase, but it did not do me any harm - I always had bread and cheese and that's all that really matters after all. You really don't even need pasta with this - just some in a bowl with grated parmesan on top and good bread for dipping - dinner.