Put Down The Styling Mousse and Step Away From The Sink

 I had a roomate that called it, "Styling Mousie" which always conjured a great image of a mouse before a mirror primping to go out. 

Some days, I just can't face the blow-dryer. 

This top has been in constant wardrobe rotation because I love it, but I don't think I've ever featured it here on the blog. The gauze/cheesecloth fabric is summery, but the weight is heavy enough that I can wear it year round. I love the asymmetrical pattern, the elastic waist and peplum.  Everything about it would sound wrong on paper, and I hesitated to buy it because it looked so strange on the hanger. I'm glad I took a chance, because it quickly became a favourite piece. 

I made a mushroom pie for dinner that I think is worth sharing. It took four pounds of assorted mushrooms, which I admit is a bit much. You could use any sort of mushrooms you like-I happened to have these, so I used them. 

You Will Need:

Two crust pastry:

2 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cups cold, unsalted butter cut in small pieces

Ice water (about 8 tablespoons, but have extra ready)

Combine flour and salt. Cut in the butter until fine crumbs. Add water a few tablespoons at a time until dough just comes together. Try to avoid handling it more than you must. Divide in two, and roll out to fit an 8 or 9 inch pie plate. 

For the filling:

1 pound portabella mushrooms, chopped

1 pound shitake mushrooms, chopped

1 pound King trumpet mushrooms, chopped

1 pound oyster mushrooms, chopped

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup dry red wine

8 large shallots, finely sliced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons dried sage

A good grinding of black pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked salt (you can omit this in place of plain salt. I use it to get a smoked meat flavour in vegetarian recipes). 

2 cups cooked long grain white rice

In a large stockpot, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they throw off most of their liquid-about ten minutes. Add the wine and turn up the heat cooking until it burns off. Reduce the heat back to medium. Keep stirring the mushrooms so they don't stick to the pan as they start to brown. When the mushrooms are reduced to your liking, add the shallots and cook just until they are softened-no more than two minutes. Add the spices, and cook a minute or two longer. Stir in the cooked rice, and then set it aside to cool before filling the pie crust. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Assemble it:

Fill the bottom crust evenly with the filling. Cover with the top piece of pastry and brush lightly with an egg wash (I used 1 large yolk and 1 tablespoon water). Cut vents for steam. Place it all on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes at 425 F then reduce the heat to 375 degrees F. for another 30-40 minutes or until nicely browned. 

Serve warm, not hot with a nice salad, and good strong mustard. 

Why did the shitake have to move house?  

There wasn't mush room. 

I don't make this often,

-just sporadically. 

Fine. Let's talk about clothes. 

Outfit Particulars:

Gauze top-New Life Thrift

Skirt-Sears, about 20 years ago

Made in Korea vintage beaded bag-Goodwill

Necklace-The Mexican Shop, Evanston, Il. about 30 years ago

Earrings-K Mart

Belt-Can't remember

Shoes-K Mart

Fragrance-Bat Sheba

 Two trends in one: Beads + Fringe.

 The necklace had small metal charms hanging off the bottom that made so much clatter I removed them. It became a much more wearable piece once I didn't feel like I had a cowbell around my neck.

Keeping with the same selection of colours...

I had to take advantage of the cool snap to wear my leather skirt. For some reason I always forget about it until spring when it looks terribly out of place. Coloured leather and suede can work in spring, but a black leather anything will be a challenge. 

 Outfit Particulars:
Leather skirt-can't remember, 80's (I mean, I can remember the 80's, just not where I purchased this)
Vintage polyester zip-back top-Thrift World
 Vintage vinyl trimmed canvas jacket-Thrift World
1970's vinyl shoulderbag-Goodwill
Tights-Walgreen's
Vintage Gaymode shoes-Thrift World
1970's necklace-Hand-me-Ups
1960's clip earrings-Hand-me-Ups
1970's bracelet-Hand-me-Ups
Fragrance-Knize 10

These are the frames I'm going to have set with lenses next (I also have a 1930's pair with ear wires that need new lenses). I *think* a darker blue would work, but grey might be good too. I know, First World problems. What am I to do?!?

I can't wear these to Raptor Rescue events or they'll try banding my leg and feeding me "mouse-in-a can". 

The frames were purchased from my favourite Etsy eyewear seller, Cherrie at JustheGoodStuff. 

My gold cat-eye glasses also came from her, and I can't say enough great things about my experience. Fantastic prices, excellent customer service, and the selection is incredible. Many of the frames (like mine) were never set with lenses making you the first owner. A quick look around the web came up with several Gaspari frames like these, but they weren't new old stock, and they were much more expensive. If you're looking for attention getting frames at a great price, Just The Good Stuff is your shop. I paid for these frames with my own dough (they weren't freebies). She did throw in free shipping and some eyeglass holders which I appreciated, but didn't expect.

Finally, there's this:

Uh...what the hell?! Walgreen's is a pharmacy, can't they find the Easter Bunny some sort of happy pill? Have you ever seen such a depressed looking bunny? Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't see children clamouring to sit on his lap for a photo. 

"Run, Uncle Hopper is out of the joint...and he's bent on revenge!"

Oops, it got late and I have laundry to do. Better hop to it.

Knickerbockers, No Glory

 I wanted these knickerbockers to be great, but alas they were too long, the buttons too loose, and slung too low on my hips. I had great hopes for my .99 cent wool trousers, but in the end they weren't special enough to justify keeping as I doubt they would see much wear. I have other ill fitting trousers I like better.

 

 

 

 

We headed out bright and early for bird banding. Shortly after this photo was taken, I noticed three vultures circling overhead. I don't suppose they were looking for me. Gawd, I hate vultures.

Know what else I hate? Stinkhorn mushrooms growing in my raised vegetable bed. They're the red things with the black oozing tops. And yes, I'm aware of their nickname as the, "Dog penis mushrooms." I want them out of my garden. So disgusting.

I want one of these for the front of the house in the worst way. I'm not spending $30.00 on one (Please, I haven't lost my mind) but I will be watching for them to be placed on clearance after Halloween, and then I'll buy one for next year. Until then...

Here's our impersonations. Scary, eh? Yeah I thought so. Don't wet your pants now, we're not really jack-o-lanterns.

Outfit Particulars:

Wool Knickerbockers-Goodwill Reserve .99 cent store
Silk Pendelton Country Sophisticates Blouse-Hand-Me-Ups
Marshall Field's Country Shop Cardigan-Bought it decades ago.
Clarks shoes-Hand-Me-Ups
Brooch-Hand-Me-Ups
Crystal Earrings-Grandmother Clara's
1940's velvet handbag-thrifted

It was a lovely day, but I was getting tired so I happened upon this nice, hairy post to lean against and...hey! That's not a hairy post, that's Danny!

 

He had a haircut two weeks ago. Maybe he is turning into a hairy post. Poor kid, once he hits puberty he's going to be shaving twice a day to keep his beard under control.

The bird banders at work. We weren't out of the car when shouts of, "Danny come quick, we caught a hummingbird" echoed across the field. They had two nest set up, and the birds essentially fly into them, get entangled and then they are carried inside to be banded (in a mesh laundry bag). The sun was hitting the nets in an awkward way today, and the birds could see them easily. I think they only banded a handful of birds (a house wren, a bluejay, a nuthatch) but it was a beautiful day to be standing around waiting. Most bird banding mornings in the fall and winter are cold, damp, and windy. This was really a pleasant surprise, as there was almost no wind at all.

The monthly Saturday book sale at Swanson was today, so we swung by on the way home. I went in swearing there would be no more cookbooks, which was a good thing because if I hadn't there would have been even more than the twenty or so that came home with me. Sigh, I'm hopeless. I don't even use cookbooks much anymore, but I do enjoy reading them. Besides, I needed the Florence Henderson cookbook.  Danny got birding guides, and Mr. ETB got an eclectic assortment of stuff. They make the books so cheap, you're really obligated to bring an armload (or three) home with you. The regular sale continues on Thursdays as well. I know I've said this before, but it is worth repeating-the booksale at Swanson is one of the best things this city has going for it. If you think you've been to Friends of the Library sales before, this one is unlike the others. Several rooms, books grouped by subject and alphabetised, donations coming from withdrawn library books, donations, and museums. It is like the best used bookstore you've ever been in, but most of the books range from .25 cents to $1.50. There's a rare book room for the first editions that are priced at much less than market value, and a staff of dedicated volunteers who know what they have, and are happy to help you locate what you need. Worth a trip to Omaha, if you're a reader and or collector.

Mushroom Crepes

Sit down, this is going to be a long recipe. Comfy? OK, let's talk about crepes. Or we can talk about serving white food on a white plate which is a very Midwestern thing to do except it is typically creamed cod and cauliflower. *shrug*

I filled these, and baked them with a white sauce in the oven. You could serve them just folded over the filling with a thin sauce atop them if you prefer, but I was going for a casserole effect, and a few subsequent meals out of it. These are closer to filled pasta shells, except I used rolled crepes.

The biggest problem I've encountered with crepes is not letting the batter rest long enough. some recipes say an hour is sufficient. I am telling you it is not. You need at least six, or overnight, at least for this particular batter. Hot pan, cold batter needs to be the mantra here, and you must work quickly once you pour. I can't tell you what pan/method will work best for you on your stove, with your ability. What I can tell you is to have all your equipment ready at hand, and make sure that batter is well chilled. Get yourself a very thin, flexible spatula (Oxo makes a nice inexpensive one) to help you flip. You'll find it is a useful tool for dislodging egg from a pan as well. There are many kitchen tools I could survive without, but good spatulas are a necessity.

Here's the batter recipe you'll want to prepare early in the morning. This is basically the Julia Child recipe, the only difference being I don't prepare it in a blender, and I use lowfat milk.
 1 cup milk (I use 1% because that's what we drink. There's plenty of fat in the eggs and butter so I wouldn't get too worried if you must use skim).
1 cup very cold water
4 eggs graded large
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted (if using salted butter, omit salt above)
2 cups plain flour

Pour the milk, water, eggs, and salt into a bowl. Whisk until combined. Add 1 cup of the flour, whisking until smooth. Add second cup of flour and repeat. Finish by whisking in the butter. You can use a mixer, but I've always had good results with a whisk-it isn't a terribly heavy batter. The batter should be smooth. Cover it with cling film, and chill at least six hours before using.

Make your crepes in a hot pan over medium heat, tilting the pan as you pour so that the crepe will be even. Cook until top looks dry, flip and cook about 30 seconds longer. Remove to a plate with sheets of wax paper between the crepes. Cool before filling.

Meanwhile, make the mushroom and cheese filling:

1 lb. mushrooms finely chopped
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup ruby port

Heat the butter in a heavy pan until melted. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat until they have given off quite a bit of liquid. Add spices. Turn up heat to high, add the port and cook until the liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and chill until needed.

For the cheese:
3 cups cottage cheese forced through a sieve, or ricotta. You can use low fat as long as you strain  the extra liquid away first.
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan (or other hard cheese). Plus 1/2 cup for topping before baking.
2 eggs or 3 egg whites
Mix together well.

Combine mushrooms and cheeses for the filling.

For the sauce;

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons quick blending flour (I use Wondra for sauces)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups milk (again, I use 1 % as there's plenty of fat to go round in this recipe)

Melt butter, add flour and cook until foamy. Slowly whisk in the milk. Add spices and cook until it comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat. If not using right away, pour a thin layer of cream over the top to keep it from forming a skin.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the pan for easier cleanup(I use a 9x13 metal pan). Fill each crepe, and roll like you would a burrito tucking in the edges. Arrange them in the pan. Pour over sauce, then top with reserved cheese. Cover tightly with foil, and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake 30 minutes longer.

This is a heavy dish, so either serve it with a salad or vegetables lightly roasted in oil (I mean, really lightly). I has some green beans, carrots, and beets which also gave a bit of colour to an otherwise bland looking meal.

Re-heats beautifully in either a slow oven, or the microwave. We got a few meals out of this. I wouldn't freeze the finished dish, but any extra crepes may be frozen for later use.

Mushroom "Ketchup"

Mushroom ketchup is one of those things that elicits a funny expression when people hear it. Understandably, it evokes the image of the more familiar tomato ketchup but in truth, is closer to what Americans call, "Steak sauce."

This was an experiment, and as it only made about a pint, I skipped canning it in favour of keeping it in the fridge. We weren't sure what exactly to use it on-until we began using it. Tonight, it dressed up steamed broccoli at the table.

I'll try this again using a combination of dried and fresh mushrooms. This time I used only fresh shitake, and the stem of a large trumpet mushroom. I'm not sure what an ounce of dried porcini would bring to it in terms of depth, but at some point, I'll give it a try.

You Will Need:

(about) 1 lb. fresh mushrooms (I used Shitake and Trumpet)sliced thinly
2 tablespoons coarse salt or sea salt (or canning salt if you have it)

1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar
2 1/2 cups water
6 scallions, white part only-sliced
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup sherry

24 hours before:
Place mushrooms in a plastic strainer or colander and set over a bowl to catch liquid. Salt the mushrooms, cover lightly with a tea towel, and set in fridge to drain for 24 hours.

Puree the mushrooms in a food processor with the liquid in the bowl. Transfer to a large, heavy non-reactive pot (I used an enamel pan) along with everything else. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook down until it is thickened. It should be close to the thickness of tomato ketchup, but should not mound on a spoon like apple butter. This should take about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove from heat, remove bay leaves, and puree in batches (be careful, it is hot) and return it to a smaller pan to cook over very low heat for another fifteen minutes or so. Remember, you want it smooth, so if there are still bits of mushroom, you may wish to puree it again, and force it through a fine sieve.

Bottle, and store in the fridge. Makes about 1 pint. I'm storing mine in a large molasses bottle, which lets it pour nicely.

Polar Vortex Mushroom Soup

So, we're in a polar vortex according to the news reports. Tomorrow's high is expected to be -1 F. with a low of -11 below, or something on that scale. It isn't unheard of in these parts, but it is still unpleasant. As I type, Mr. ETB is outside driving the car around the neighbourhood to keep it charged and warm for the overnight. Not that it matters, I'm not going anywhere tomorrow. Oh, that's fine Canadians-you go ahead and laugh with your block heaters, and insulated houses. I know this is nothing to you guys (I went to Northern Quebec once in January-it was one of the worst experiences of my life! I had no idea it could get that cold).

I had a variety of mushrooms from the nearby Asian market, and soup sounded like the perfect response for surviving  a polar vortex. I didn't have a recipe, but this turned out nicely. I used both butter, and milk in mine but you could easily veganise the soup with margarine and milk substitute. I think it would also make an interesting broth without pureeing the mushrooms.

You Will Need:

1 substantial cold-snap resulting in several days of negative temperatures (optional)
2 lbs. assorted mushrooms (I had oyster, shitake, king trumpet, and regular old button)finely sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
(about) 4-5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sherry
2 cups rich vegetable broth, heated
1/8 teaspoon smoked salt
Salt/pepper to taste
Generous pinch tarragon
Milk, cream, or liquid of your choice to thin

In a heavy pot, melt the butter (I'd start with 4 tablespoons and see if you need more) and cook the onions over medium heat until they soften. Add the mushrooms, and turn the heat up to high. You can add more butter or a drop of oil if they are sticking badly. Cook, stirring until the mushrooms have given up most of their liquid. Add the salt, smoked salt, pepper, and tarragon. Add half the sherry, and over high heat, cook until it is evaporated. Add the remaining sherry, and repeat the process until you have meaty, cooked mushrooms. Add the hot vegetable broth, bring everything to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. There should be enough liquid to cover the mushrooms by about an inch. If not, add water to cover. Place a lid on the pot, leaving a space to vent, and simmer until the mushrooms are very soft, and the broth is quite rich (about 1 hour).

You'll want to do this in small batches as it is hot, and you'll need to open the food processor or blender to let steam escape. Be careful here, and remember-heat expands. Puree the mushrooms leaving most of the liquid behind in the pot. As you puree each batch, return it to the broth in the large pot. When all the mushrooms have been done, return the pureed mushrooms and broth to a gentle heat, and whisk to combine.

At this point, you can add milk, cream, or a combination. I thought the butter provided enough fat, so I went with a small drizzle of cream, and used 2% milk for the rest. How much you add will depend on how thick you like your soup, and what sort of mushrooms you used. Re-warm the soup after the addition of the milk, and serve warm taking care not to boil the soup.

Serve with toast and a polar vortex.

Beth Hensperger's Oven Mushroom Pancake

Yet another winning recipe from Beth Hensperger's wonderful book, The Best Quick Breads. This is simple enough to throw together on a Sunday morning when I was feeling the full effects of sub-zero weather on my arthritic bones. Everyone will think you made something, "fancy", but I won't tell if you don't.

You Will Need:

6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pound mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (I had oyster mushrooms)
2 shallots, minced (I had scallions)
\Salt/Pepper
4 large eggs
1 1/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
1 cup plain flour
Chive sauce (see below)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a heavy skillet, over high heat, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter and cook the mushrooms and onions until the mushrooms have given off their liquid (about 3 minutes). Remove from pan, and set aside. I used the same pan to cook the remaining ingredients in, but if you don't have a cast iron pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in an ovenproof dish, and set it in the oven to melt.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy. Beat in the milk and flour quickly until blended. Remove pan from oven, and spread mushrooms and onions on the bottom. Pour the batter over it, and bake 20-25 minutes or until puffed, and golden. Cut into wedges to serve.

 

 Meanwhile, make the sauce.

1/3 cup plain yoghurt (I used skyr)
1/3 cup crème fraiche
2 tablespoons minced chives (I used the green part of a scallion)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Whisk together, and chill until serving time.

Mushroom Barley Soup-Meatless

Have you ever tried photographing a steaming pot of soup? Impossible, I tell you!



The weather finally turned cold here, with 13 degrees F. expected this evening. That calls for extra blankets, and a generous bowl of mushroom barley soup. Mine is vegetarian, but you could easily make this with beef broth. Some people like leftover brisket in their mushroom barley soup. My parents used chunks of kosher salami. I imagine sausage would be good as well. Or mutton (if you can get it). The point is, you can adapt this soup to transform it into a main dish.

I can't possibly know how thick you like your soup. Bear in mind that this will thicken as it sits, and if you've made enough for several meals (why wouldn't you?) it may turn into a stew in the fridge. That's OK, as you can always water it down a bit. The soup freezes well, and if you store it in freezer bags it will take up very little space, but provide you with several meals through winter.

You Will Need:

Vegetable stock cubes (use 1 cube per cup of water)
Water to cover
1-2 cups frozen lima beans
4 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb. mushrooms, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 large sprig thyme or teaspoon dried
Black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups pearl barley

Place your vegetables and spices in a large stock pot. Add enough water to cover the vegetables, counting how many cups it takes as you add. Add 1 additional cup of water, and then add the required number of stock cubes (or just use stock if you have it). Stir, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer then cover leaving lid open to vent. Simmer several hours or until soup has cooked down, and barley and vegetables are soft. You may need to add additional water, so keep some hot water handy in a kettle in case. You may wish to adjust the salt up or down (water works if you're over-salted, but so does some boiled potato, which goes nicely with this sort of soup).

Go grab a big bowl, and warm yer-self up good.

Mushroom Potato Pie-Women's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery, 1966

Danny prepared this for dinner Friday, and it turned out perfect. He's finding the Women's Day cookbook set helpful for a beginner, as the instructions are clear, and most of the recipes are on the short side.

You Will Need:

3 cups rich mashed potatoes (he did butter and milk)
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup dairy sour cream

Place half of the mash in a layer in a well-buttered 9 inch pie plate. Sauté the mushrooms and onion in hot butter. Stir in lemon juice. Add salt and pepper. Top potatoes with mushrooms and onions, then spread the sour cream over. Add the remaining mashed potatoes on top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for about 35 minutes. Cut in wedges to serve.

Danny's Baked Haddock and Apple Squash

Danny felt well enough to cook dinner this evening (He'd planned it a week in advance) so I let him loose in the kitchen, and look what he came up with.

Recipes are as follows:

Baked Fish in a Covered Dish from Joy of Cooking, 1967 edition.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (we upped this to 400).
Place 2 lbs. of fish (Danny used Haddock) in an ovenproof dish, and salt it. Add 2 tablespoons clarified butter, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Pour over 2 tablespoons dry white wine. Cover, and bake until done-about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, make a sauce of 3 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons capers, 1 teaspoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon chives (he used scallions), 2 teaspoons lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over fish before serving.

Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash (Look, I didn't name it, OK?) From Women's Day Encyclopedia of Cookery, 1966

2 acorn squashes
Boiling water
3 tart apples
 1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup maple syrup
Salt to taste (Danny used smoked salt)

Cut the squashes, and remove seeds and fibre. Place cut side down in a pan and fill with 1/2 inch boiling water. Place in a preheated 400 degree F. oven and bake 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pare, core, and chop the apples. Mix with melted butter and maple syrup. Sprinkle squashes with salt. Place filling in cavities of squash and cover tightly with foil. Bake another 30 minutes or until squashes and apples are tender. These re-heat well in the microwave.

For the rice:

Make basmati rice as you normally would, using vegetable broth in place of water. While rice cooks (or do ahead) sauté some mushrooms and scallions (and fresh thyme if you have it) in butter until the mushrooms give off most of their liquid. Add a splash of white vermouth, then boil until it evaporates. Remove from heat. When rice is cooked, fold the moisture through it and let it sit five minutes before serving.

Danny also served steamed broccoli, which is a treat as it has been terribly expensive, and we don't have it often.

This was another lovely meal, and he still has leftover money in his grocery budget to add to next week's allowance. I told him he could keep whatever is left at the end of the year, but so far he hasn't been feeding us rice and beans.

Venison Shooter's Sandwich

My version of the classic is made with venison steaks that have been slowly braised in wine and onions. Round steak is more typical. Here's roughly what you do:

Remove top of a round loaf of bread. Hollow out bread. Cook a pound of mushrooms with shallots and butter until most of the liquid evaporates. Layer a steak on the bottom, then the mushrooms, then another steak, more mushrooms, a generous spoonful of horseradish, and the stronget Dijon mustard you can find (I made my own). Replace the top. Wrap the still warm loaf tightly in parchment and string. Place on a plate and cover with another plate. Weight the sandwich with something heavy (I used a gallon water bottle). Let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then remove to the fridge (still weighted for several hours longer (I did about five). Slice, and serve.

I Need I.D. For That?

I purchased a "grow your own oyster mushroom kit", at the supermarket yesterday. The teenaged cashier told me he needed to call a manager, and I assumed it was for a price. It wasn't, he needed someone over 21 to ring it. Incredulous, I blurted out the first thing that sprung to mind.

"Why? They aren't hallucinogenic mushrooms! "

The man in line behind me laughed, and we joked about the odd things people get carded for now (cough medicine, spray paint, etc.) Keep in mind, the box has a label across the top that reads, "Great for kids!"

"Oh" the manager said when he arrived, "He thought this was a box of wine. Sorry about that."

Because wine is obviously great for kids.

Marinated Mushrooms

Yep-another mushroom salad recipe. Danny loved this, but Mr. ETB thought it was just, "OK." It should be noted he isn't crazy about mushroom salad in general, so take that into consideration. I purchased the Spanish cookery book at the library sale last weekend, and have already made several recipes. Tonight for dessert, we're having fried cream (a breaded and fried custard). Film at eleven.

From, Spanish Hermes House Publishing 2004

You Will Need:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 cup water
3 cups button mushrooms, trimmed
Salt/pepper
2 whole cloves
Parsley to garnish

Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft. Add tomato, sherry, water, cloves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 45 minutes. Add the mushrooms, then cover and cook another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, still covered. Chill overnight. Serve the mushrooms cold, sprinkled with parsley.

Vegetarian Shisk Kabobs

I was in a retro mood as my family bought me a large box of Twinkies for my birthday. Well, you know, they're going bankrupt and I mentioned that I hadn't had a Twinkie in something like forty years...next thing i know I'm unwrapping an beautifully decorated box of snack cakes. Know what? They weren't as bad as expected. The cake seems less squishy than I recall, and while it was so sweet it actually did that thing to my head where it goes all woo woo from sugar, it wasn't inedible. Logically, it follows that after consuming a Twinkie, I had to make shisk kabob.

I think my mother made this sort of thing quite a bit-with a marinade of Italian dressing. I didn't want that, so I went with the idea of a vegetarian pepper steak on skewers. I know, but stay with me for a minute as it worked better than I ever could have imagined.

The tofu will never fool you into thinking it is round steak, but it did have all the flavourings of a good steak-onion, garlic, imitation beef stock. By marinating the tofu and baking it in that mix I was able to get a decent flavour and texture that while not meat, and not meat substitute, does at least reflect the overall effect of a pepper steak. Sort of. I mean, there are limits to everything.

Danny took charge of assembling the kabobs and did a terrific job (nothing fell off in the broiler). He's quite pleased with the results and I have a feeling many more skewered meals are in our future.

For the Tofu:

1 package extra firm tofu
3 tablespoons corn oil
1/4 cup imitation beef stock
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 tablespoon dried minced garlic
Ground black pepper
Smoked salt to taste
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Slice tofu into fourths. Lay slices on a towel, cover with a second towel and weight with a heavy bottle (or tine, etc.) After ten minutes, change to new towels and repeat. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Combine other ingredients and whisk well. Place tofu slices in a baking pan (an 8x8 ought to do it) and pour over the marinade. Flip the slices once and place in the oven.

Bake 30 minutes. Turn, bake 30 minutes longer. Then prop on sides-do 5 minutes each side. Remove to a plate and cool. Then, chill until needed. Can be made well ahead.

For the vegetables:

2 large green bell peppers, cut into good sized squares
1-2 large tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes if you have them) cut into wedges, obvious seeds removed
1 large red onion, cut into eighths
8 ounces mushrooms, stems removed (don't pitch them, you can use them for something else)

Vegetable marinade:

1/4 cup orange juice (I used blood oranges because I had it)
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon ground ginger (powdered)
1 tablespoon cane syrup (Steens, Golden syrup, honey is also OK)
1 teaspoon dried garlic
Black pepper

Mix well, pour over vegetables. I did this in a plastic bag and left it in the fridge all day.

Assemble the kabobs:

I soaked my wooden skewers for two hours to be safe. I'm told 30 minutes is enough, but these were thick, and I'm paranoid. Do as you see fit.

Cut your slabs of cold tofu into cubes.

Drain the vegetables, reserving the marinade. Place on skewers (I got about ten, but it will vary with how you load them) alternating with tofu.

Place a rack on a large roasting pan if you do not own a broiling pan (I don't). As you make the kabobs, place them on. When all are assembled, brush them generously and place them under a hot broiler for five minutes. I played it safe and kept them far from the element, but if you have a gas range with the broiler on the bottom, you may not have a choice. Turn the pan to ensure it gets equal broiling. After five minutes, flip the kabobs and baste with more marinade. Broil another five minutes. Have a look, if they are dry, add more marinade, if they look done, pull them out. This will require a bit of attention on your part.

If you have any marinade left, heat it to serve with the kabobs over rice.

Veggie Calzones

A bit of everything went into these. All the fillings can be made well ahead and then assembled at the last.


For The Dough:

2 1/4 teaspoons dry regular yeast (not instant)
2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 cups bread flour (strong flour)
Egg yolk plus 1 tablespoon water for wash

Dissolve yeast in warm water with sugar. When foamy, add salt, oil, and two cups of the flour. Beat well with a wooden spoon. Add additional flour a cup at a time until you have a dough that is no longer sticky and can be kneaded until smooth. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down, divide in fourths. Let stand 10 minutes before rolling each out into a thin rectangle. Proceed to assemble with filling below.

Fillings:

I used a number of fillings layered in for a nice effect. Any or all of these would work.

For the cheese layer:

2 cups cottage cheese drained and sieved.
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely shredded
1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated
Black pepper
Mix all together, and chill until ready to use.

For the Carrots:

6 carrots, peeled and finely sliced on the diagonal
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon oil
Salt/pepper

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the carrots and cook until softened. In last two minutes of cooking, add the garlic. Adjust salt/pepper. Chill until ready to use.

For the Mushrooms:

heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a pan with 1 teaspoon dried thyme. Add 1/2 lb. mushrooms thinly sliced. Cook over high heat until browned. Remove and chill until needed.

For the spinach:

cook 1 block frozen spinach, then drain and squeeze dry in a dishcloth. Chill until needed.

Put It All Together:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet.

Roll out sections of dough one at a time. It should be no more than 1/4 inch thick. In the centre, begin layering the fillings ending with carrots at the top. This will become the bottom and the carrots are the sturdiest of the fillings. Fold and pinch closed. Invert onto baking sheet. Pierce top with a sharp knife to vent. Brush with egg wash. Bake about 30 minutes or until deeply golden. They may run some liquid out as they bake-this is OK. When done, remove them to a rack to cool slightly, but place another baking sheet beneath to catch any drips. leftovers can be stored in foil and re-heated in a hot oven for ten minutes. They do not take well to microwaving.

Ukrainian Lasagna

Fine, there's no such thing as Ukrainian lasagna-but if there were, this would be it. Think of kasha varnishkas with cheese and sauce. I wasn't sure buckwheat would make a good lasagna noodle, but it works for soba. Yes, this is really how my thought process works. I thought about adding beets and cabbage, but opted for a salad instead.


(Come on, doesn't that make you want to drink to excess, write depressing poetry, possibly emigrate to Canada?)

You Will Need:

For the noodles:

3 large egg yolks plus 1 whole large egg
3 tablespoons cold water
1 scant teaspoon salt
1 cup buckwheat flour
1-1 1/2 cups pasta flour (semolina/durum blend)

Beat the eggs until light and slightly thickened. Beat in the water and salt. Beat in the buckwheat and half of the semolina. Add the remaining semolina (more or less) until you have a very stiff dough. Wrap in cling film and let rest 20 minutes before rolling.

For the Cheese Filling:

16 ounces cottage cheese, drained and forced through a sieve. I drained mine in the fridge overnight.
2 large eggs, beaten
2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley
A generous grind of black pepper
2-3 tablespoons of hard cheese

For the Grated Cheese:

1 lb. cheese, grated. Use a combination of hard and semi-firm cheeses. I used Swiss for the semi, and parmesan, paive, and something else (I can't remember) to round it out. Use what you like, but make sure to balance it so you don't end up with an overly runny cheese layer. I wouldn't use mozzarella.

For The Sauce:

4 cups (1 qt.) vegetable or beef broth (You can use milk, but with all that cheese, I thought it would be overkill)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
A generous grind of black pepper
In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. With a wooden spoon work in the flour, stirring constantly until it foams. Slowly whisk in the liquid. Keep whisking and cooking until the thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

For The Kasha/Mushroom Filling (Can be made up to a day ahead)

4 tablespoons butter, divided
16 ounces mushrooms, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1 cup kasha (buckwheat groats) rinsed and drained
2 large egg whites, beaten (save the yolks for making the noodles)
2 cups vegetable or beef flavoured broth
Black pepper to taste (I like a lot of black pepper with grains)

In a large frying pan or stock pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Cook the onions and mushrooms until soft over medium heat. When the onions are soft and the mushrooms have thrown off most of their liquid, Push everything to one side of the pan. Add the remaining butter on the cleared side. Toss the kasha with the beaten egg whites and add to the buttered side of the pan. With a metal spatula, scrape and move the kasha until it is dry. Mix with the onions and mushrooms, and add the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook until nearly all the liquid is absorbed (It will absorb more upon standing).

Put That Damn Thing Together:

Cook and drain your noodles. Let them cool before handling unless you enjoy burning your fingertips. Hey, I'm not judging if you do. That's between you and your lasagna noodles. Me? I prefer to let them cool. I'm kind vanilla that way.

Get out your best 9x13 lasagna pan. Grease it for easier clean up. Start layering. The final layer should be sauce and grated cheese. Place it on a baking sheet, cover it with foil and bake it 40 minutes in in a 350 degree F. oven. Remove the foil and bake another 20-30 minutes or until the top is deeply golden. Here's the part no one does, but I feel obligated to mention anyway-let that lasagna alone for a full ten minutes. Fifteen is better. It will be easier to slice, and as it is already an unapetising shade of greyish brown, you won't help it any by having it sqim across the plate. Go check your email or something, then slice into it.

If you have leftover kasha:

I had kasha, noodles and sauce, but was out of cheese. I cut the noodles into small strips, combined it with the kasha and sauce and froze it. This will be a handy side dish some evening when I don't feel like cooking.

Danny's Mushroom Toast

I have a pretty painful injury at the moment, so Danny is taking over with most of the kitchen prep-work. He's been watching me do these things his entire life (his playpen was even in the kitchen) and it seems to come easily for him. I'm glad, because I'm in so much pain I want to crawl into bed and scream. I'm making my kid learn to cook instead. I didn't photograph it because...come on, mushrooms on toast? I think we all know that isn't going to be photogenic.

You Will Need:

4-6 thick slices white bread (we used a stale sourdough baguette), lightly grilled in a bit of clarified butter.
1/4 cup grated swiss cheese

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 lb. mushrooms
1 tablespoons dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt/Pepper
1/4 cup dry white wine (we used vermouth because my shoulder hurt too much to uncork a fresh bottle of white wine...whine...oh god, I'm miserable)


For the sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
Salt/pepper
1 cup milk


Wash the mushrooms, remove stems. Mince stems finely as possible, then squeeze dry in a kitchen towel to extract most of the liquid. Set these aside as you will cook them first. Now, finely mince the remaining caps, squeezing them dry in batches.

Heat a small, heavy saucepan and melt the 2 tablespoons of butter. Add spices, salt/pepper, and mushroom stems. Cook over medium heat about five minutes until they soften. Add remaining mushroom caps and cook another five minutes. Turn up the heat to high, add the wine, and then cook rapidly, stirring with a wooden spoon (or a spatula, or whatever won't get too hot to hold) until all liquid has burned off. Reduce heat to medium and cook a few minutes longer. Set aside while you make the sauce.

Sauce:

melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. With a wooden spoon, add the flour and cook until it foams up. Slowly with a metal whisk, add the milk until it is incorporated. Whisk fairly regularly until sauce thickens. Stir in mushrooms.

Heat the broiler. Place bread crusts in a heat-proof pan (I used a cake pan) and pour sauce over. Sprinkle with cheese, place under broiler and cook until golden. Serve hot. I helped Danny with the broiler because I'm not stupid, and didn't feel like a trip to the hospital. Otherwise, this is an easy enough dish for my six year old to manage.

Mushroom Lasagna

From the outset, I want to point out, this is not a quick, weeknight dinner. I happened to be home all day, but I certainly wouldn't attempt this expecting to have dinner on the table in anything approaching a reasonable time.

There are a number of steps that can be made ahead, but again, they are time consuming at each stage. My only consolation is that for all the exhaustion of putting this thing together, the boys really enjoyed it, and there is enough of it to feed them for a few days. Cooking in quantity rocks.

I opted to make duxelles from the mushrooms, and then add them to a rich sauce. You could simply cook the mushrooms down to the point where most of the water evaporates, but this is for lasagna- a dish prone to becoming watery under the best of circumstances. With that in mind, I went ahead and wrung the chopped mushrooms out in a dishcloth. Surprisingly, even after extracting a measurable amount of liquid, they still gave off a few ounces when I cooked them. This may vary by type of mushroom.

I used cottage cheese, but ricotta would also be fine. You should however, leave several hours (or overnight) for the liquid to drain before forcing it through a sieve. Same problem as the mushrooms-too much liquid in lasagna can be unpleasant. Take the extra time, and drain your cheese. "Oh my mama said, you can't hurry cheese, so you just have to wait, she said lasagna don't come easy, so shut your mouth and clean your plate..." Wow, sorry, I have no idea where that came from.

For The Mushrooms:

2 lbs. mushrooms chopped very fine, then squeezed dry in a dishcloth a handful at a time
4 finely minced shallots
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup veggie or beef broth
1/4 cup Madeira
Salt/Pepper

In a large, heavy pot cook the mushrooms and shallots in the butter and oil. When they start to reduce, add the thyme and salt/pepper. Cook over medium high heat until they begin to brown and come apart. Add the broth and Madeira. Cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Set aside until you are ready to make sauce. These can be made well ahead (days, if need be).

For the Sauce:

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
Salt/pepper

Melt butter until sizzling. With a wooden spoon, beat in flour over medium heat until it foams. Slowly whisk in the milk. Continue whisking and cooking over medium heat until sauce thickens-about five minutes. Remove from heat, stir in mushrooms. Cover with cling film to prevent a film from forming on sauce. You could drizzle a bit of cream on the top, but cling film has less calories, and we haven't even gotten to the cheese yet.

For the Cheese Filling:

1 lb. cottage cheese (4%) drained and sieved
3 whole eggs
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Salt/pepper

Beat together until well combined. May also be made several hours ahead and kept chilled.

For The Shredded Cheese:

Use what you like, strangely I prefer a bit of Swiss in lasagna, but use what you like. About 3-4 cups.

For The Pasta:

3 large egg yolks plus 1 whole egg
3 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon salt
(about) 2 cups semolina flour

Beat eggs until light. Beat in water and salt. Add semolina slowly until it comes together. Knead lightly, then wrap in cling film. Let rest 20 minutes. Roll out as thin as possible and cut into 9 sheets if using a large 9x13 pan. Otherwise, cut to adapt to your cookware.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook lasagna noodles for 3 minutes (I do a few at a time, removing them to a baking sheet while the next batch cooks). Pat them dry, and assemble your lasagna in layers. The top layer should be mushroom sauce and a scattering of shredded cheese. Cover with foil, and bake 30 minutes. remove foil and bake 20-30 minutes longer, or until cheese is nicely browned. Let stand a good five minutes before cutting.

Makes a "big old plate of lasagna!"

Barley Loaf, Mushroom Timbales, and Savoury Cherry Sauce

I have been on my feet since 5 AM, and it is now 7 PM. It has been a wild day, complete with water collecting under the floorboards from the air conditioner. That little problem still isn't resolved, but thank goodness for dehumidifiers, and an unseasonably cool day. Unexpected chaos aside, I did manage to make a rather superb dinner. Up until the time I brought the meal to the table, I wasn't sure any of it would be edible. It was. They're eating it again tomorrow.

I harvested the last of my purple bush beans today. I'll miss them, and next year I've resolved to plant several more containers. I still cannot believe how well they grow in pots. The nasturtiums were another pleasant shock with respect to their hardiness. I always thought they didn't like extreme heat, but they survived our miserable summer, and are still producing enough leaves and flowers to keep us in late-season salads.

I served the mushroom timbales cold. You could serve them warm, though it might be a bit trickier to unmould. I'd let them stand a good ten minutes out of the oven before attempting removal. I used a whopping two pounds of mushrooms to make four timbales. I don't know what your budget is like, but I never would have made these had I not happened upon a fantastic mushroom bargain. These were plain, old white button mushrooms. I'm sure you could get exotic with these and use an assortment-but again, the cost might be prohibitive. I still have another five pounds of mushrooms to deal with tomorrow (hey, it was a really good bargain) which I suspect will become potstickers for the freezer, and/or pirogi.

The cherry sauce was an experiment that came together nicely. You don't really need to enrich it with cream-the reduction is rather flavourful and a small bit at the side of the plate would have been adequate. Since when have I ever left well enough alone. The boys liked it fine, but personally it seemed a bit rich with all the butter in the mushrooms.

Finally, the barley loaf. Unlike most vegetarian/meatless grain and vegetable loaves, this one, "actually tastes good". So claims my better half. This isn't vegan as it has eggs and cream in it. You could use broth and egg replacer, but then it wouldn't "actually taste good." Your call.

For The Mushroom Timbales:

2 lbs. mushrooms chopped as finely as possible (just chop the hell out of them with a chef's knife)
5 tablespoons butter
Salt/Pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon crumbled dry sage
1 cup wine (if serving this with meat, use red otherwise use dry vermouth)
1 ounce cream cheese (or soft goat cheese if you have it)
4 well-buttered large ramekins

In a large, heavy pot melt the butter. Add the mushrooms, salt/pepper, thyme and sage. Cook over medium heat until the mushrooms have given off most of their water. Pour in the wine, turn the heat to high, and burn off all the liquid, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. You really want to get rid of as much liquid as possible. It won't be completely dry because of the butter, but you don't want liquid pooling in the pan. Try pressing down with the spoon-if water comes out, keep cooking. When you are satisfied that you have evaporated off most of the water, remove to a bowl and let cool slightly before beating in the cream cheese. You will note, I did not use eggs to bind this as they are not cooked further. If you prefer to bind with eggs, set the timbales into a water bath in a 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until set. Pack firmly into buttered ramekins and chill until serving time. Unmould by running a thin knife around the edge, and inverting onto a plate. Makes 4 servings.

For The Barley Loaf:

1 cup dry pearl barley
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup peas (frozen are OK-just thaw them rather than cook them)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 cup green beans, French cut
1 small courgette, diced
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried basil
Salt/pepper
3 large eggs, slightly beaten with 1/4 cup heavy cream
1 ounce Mozzarella cheese, finely grated

Soak barely in water to cover for 1 hour. Drain. Bring broth to a boil. Stir in barley, cover and simmer about 30 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed. remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pan. Add the carrots and green beans first and cook about 5 minutes until softened. Add the remaining vegetables and spices and cook until softened, but not done. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables, barley, cheese, and breadcrumbs. Mix in the eggs and cream. Mix really well, using your hands if need be.

Butter a large loaf pan (or 2 smaller ones) and fill. Don't be afraid to mash it in there, but don't overfill it. Bake about 30 minutes, or until it seems firm and the top develops a golden crust. Cool slightly before slicing.

For the Cherry Reduction:

25 sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
2 fresh prune plums, pitted and chopped
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

Bring everything to a boil, and cook, stirring when needed until it has reduced to 1/4 of original volume. Remove to a fine sieve over a heatproof bowl. With a wooden spoon, mash the cherries and plums until they are forced through. This takes some time. Strain once more to make certain you catch all the bits of rosemary. You can serve this as-is, or enrich it with cream.

Catalan Mushroom Salad-Gourmet Magazine December 1972

I used plain, old button mushrooms for this and the results were fantastic. Mr. ETB said it actually tasted like 1972, but I think 1972 tasted like Green Goddess dressing. *shrug*

You Will Need:

3/4 pound mushrooms thinly sliced
1 small tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves minced to a paste
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil

Place the mushrooms, tomatoes, and parsley in a large bowl. Chop and smash the garlic with the salt until you have a paste. Transfer to a small bowl. Slowly stir in the vinegar, and add the pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Pour over mushrooms, and toss lightly.

Mushroom Pate en Croute, Gourmet Magazine, February 1973

While I had the stack of magazines out, I figured this would put a pound of Baby Bella mushrooms to good use. This is a long recipe with several steps best left for a day when you will be home. It came together nicely, and the boys are looking forward to cold slices as picnic fare tomorrow, which makes it seem less of an effort when it will be several meals. The pate wasn't difficult at all to make, but you need to permit enough time.

The only change I made was omitting the celery (because I didn't have any) and using parchment rather than wax paper to bake it. I'll post the recipe as written and let you decide what works best for you.


In a small bowl soak 2/3 cup oatmeal in 2/3 cup heavy cream for 5 minutes. In another bowl, combine 1 lb. mushrooms, finely chopped and squeezed (squeezed dry in a kitchen towel to remove moisture), 1/4 cup chopped shallots sauteed in 1 tablespoon butter until soft and chopped parsley (no amount given-I used a handful).

Add 2 stalks celery chopped fine, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon each of rosemary, oregano, and basil. Add in 2 beaten eggs (I used large), the soaked oatmeal and cream, and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Line a 1 1/2 quart terrine with well-buttered wax paper (I used parchment) leaving enough so that the sides overlap. Fill the terrine with the mixture and fold the sides over the top. Cover tightly with foil and place on a baking sheet in a preheated 400 degree F. oven. Bake 1 1/2 hours. Let cool 20 minutes in the terrine, then turn out onto a plate and remove paper. Let cool to room temperature, then chill three hours. Meanwhile, make the pastry.

In a bowl combine 2 cups AP flour, and 1/4 teaspoon salt with 1 cup chilled butter cut into tiny pieces. Cut in butter until it resembles fine meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water (slowly, you may not need it all) and gather dough together in a ball. Flatten to a disk, wrap tightly and chill 3 hours.

Roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick into a large rectangle. Put the pate on it, top side down and trim edges until it is just large enough to cover. Cut out the corners of the dough and seal with an egg wash of 1 yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water. Gently press sides together to seal. Invert gently onto an ungreased baking sheet and brush with egg wash. Decorate top with any scraps. Chill 1 hour before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake pate 1 hour 10 minutes or until it is golden. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before cutting.