We had some lovely vegetarian friends over Friday night. I was pleased as punch to have an opportunity to flex my vegetarian muscles and offer up a delicious meal, that didn’t consist of veggie burgers or baked portabella mushroom patties.

I made a homemade veggie marinara and served it over noodles for the main course, but the best part of the meal was a delicious mushroom pate served with crackers and pumpernickel toast points. Dessert was fruit and whipped cream over brownies. Yum.

I thought I would share the pate recipe here, it’s easy to make, delicious, and healthy.

Scylla’s Vegetarian (not vegan) mushroom pate:

Ingredients:

Directions:

Set oven to 350°

• Finely dice one third of a large sweet yellow onion and 6-10 cloves of garlic (smash each clove first to bring out the flavor, then dice).
• Chop a mix of button and baby bella mushrooms until you get four cups.
• Place about 1/4 cup of Extra virgin olive oil into a skillet and heat.
• add a pinch of salt to the skillet.
• Toss the onions and garlic into the skillet and cook until translucent.
• Add about 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar.
• Add shopped mushrooms, cover with lid, simmer until mushrooms are cooked.

• In a blender add a cup of bread crumbs, 5 or so mutligrain crackers (broken up), and all the spices (You have to guess on the spices, I did. I really don’t know how much of each one I added).
• When the mushrooms are done, add the entire contents of the skillet to the blender.
• Add 3 eggs and cheese.
• Blend until smooth.

Place the blended mixture into a greased bread pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, approx 20 minutes.

Spread on toast, eat cold or warm, enjoy!!