David’s Wild Mushroom and Chicken Pate

3 lbs. chicken thighs and breasts, boned and cut into 1 or 2 inch pieces

(reserve chicken bones for stock)

2 lbs. wild mushrooms, chopped into ½ inch cubes, preferably lobster mushrooms, matsutake and/or chanterelles

Hold chicken pieces and chopped mushrooms

Make a stock using chicken bones, carrots, celery, onion and parsley and 1 ½ quarts water

Sauté in 1/3 cup preheated olive oil:

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

Hold this mixture

4 eggs, separated

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup dried bread crumbs

1 lb. cold butter

2 teaspoons wild mushroom dust

1/4 cup fresh garden herbs: thyme, oregano, Italian parsley

2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/4 cup brandy

1/2 cup pistachio nuts

Salt to taste (heavy)

Pepper to taste (heavy)

Beef stock aspic (optional)

Beat the egg whites and hold

Soak bread crumbs in cream and hold

Add chicken pieces to sautéed onion and garlic and sauté briefly (1 minute).

Deglaze with ¼ cup brandy, being careful not to burn yourself.

Pour in 2 Tablespoons vinegar

Add fresh herbs

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 clove garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons olive oil

Reserved chopped wild mushrooms

Sauté the garlic in olive oil and when cooked through add mushrooms

Deglaze with 2 Tablespoons more brandy

Add salt and pepper and cool mixture.

In Cuisinart process the chicken/onion mixture until smooth, about        seconds.

Add bread crumb/cream mixture, 1 pound cold butter, cut into pieces and blend     seconds more

In a large stainless steel bowl, carefully stir together the pate meat mixture with the mushroom mixture. Add the pistachios.

Salt and pepper should be added to each stage of preparation as one proceeds. Add just to taste, but remember that cold pate should be salted more heavily than hot meats in general.

Place plastic wrap in pate baking molds. Pour mixture into plastic-lined mold.

Bake 90 minutes in 325º F.

Remove from oven and press pate with wooden blocks fitted to top of molds and weights on top, until cool. Refrigerate overnight.

If you wish to add an aspic glaze to the pate, simply boil some beef stock (homemade is better), and add one package of gelatin to one cup of stock. Remove plastic from pate.

Cool pate at room temperature, then pour the stock over the top and sides of the pate. Refrigerate until the stock sets up. Cut the pate with a sharp knife and serve.