Mushroom Paté

• 1/2 lb. mushrooms
• 1 large onion
• Olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• Sea salt
• Spices or dried herbs (I used dried thyme once, fresh thyme another time – time for a thyme joke?)

Suitable for Passover or any time of the year one wants a tasty, easy to make spread, this mushroom paté (or mushroom dip or mushroom spread) can be made in a short time. Chop then sauté the onion in olive oil (add salt at the cooking point so it will absorbed well and not be so salty if added later). Add the mushrooms, chopped into pieces. Put the onions and mushrooms in the food processor, then add the salt and dried herbs. Turn on the food processor until the mixture is smooth. Add the walnuts – you can chop the nuts finely or in bigger chucks, as you prefer. Klara Levine, who gave me this recipe, suggested it should be the consistency of haroset.

Update in 2015: Klara says add the salt when sautéing the onions or mushrooms – cook salt into the food, never add at the end.

This was originally published on April 4, 2010. As an experiment, I am republishing it on April 9, 2015. Enjoy the rest of Pesach to all those who celebrate – and to those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, enjoy spring.