Philippa's Recipes - Mushroom Pate

Philippa's beautifully presented starter was a winner with the meat-eaters as well as our vegetarians. You can give it a go at home as she has kindly given us the recipe for you to pass off as your own!


Mushroom Pate
(p.s. Does anyone know how to type the accent on the e?)



Ingredients
4 tbsp. Madeira or Port
20g Dried Porcini Mushrooms, crumbled
150ml boiling water
40g butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
450g various mushrooms, chopped
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
175g ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp. chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

1. Put the Porcini mushrooms in a bowl with the boiling water and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes.
2. Melt the butter and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook for a further 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Porcini mushrooms and their soaking liquid, bring to the boil and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Cool.
3. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a food processor and process with the ricotta cheese, vinegar and madeira to a rough paste. Add parsley and plenty of seasoning. Chill until ready to use.

Introducing...

..our first batch of Fun Diners!

First to host is Philippa, she's a sophisticated lady who works for a TV Channel and has renowned musical taste. She has only watched the real CDWM a handful of times but is confident in the kitchen and has a well stocked cupboard of baking paraphernalia. She's sure to set the bar high.

Next is our only male specimen, Rhydian, who confesses to not being the best cook but is always the life of the party (not to mention the afterparty) and so hopes atmosphere and entertainment will pull him through.

Leonie is a talented freelance journalist and has a well documented love for cheese in all it's forms. Being a vegetarian she has the mostly meat-eating group cooking outside their comfort zones. Another legendary party person, will her night come out tops even for the carnivores?

Nadia is our next guest; one of London's top DJs and a well known Sunday roast enthusiast, Nadia can throw a banging party but what about a dinner party where conversation comes before choons? She is in it to win it as well as for a good time.

And bringing up the rear is Gabriela, an aspiring actress and theatre lover, this native New Yorker is a pesky pescatarian, eating fish and seafood but no meat. Will her stateside-style portion sizes have her guests beaten?

Follow the five evenings right here as the contestants take it in turns to throw the most imaginative and entertaining dinner party, impress all the guests and get top marks becoming the first Fun Dine With Me champion!

The scores won't be posted until all the dinners are over to keep our hosts in suspense but feel free to comment and share your views on the menus and the reports as they are posted over the next few weeks!