- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium broth
- 1 ounce (1 cup) dried porcini mushrooms (see Sources)
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup minced shallots (5 ounces)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced (6 cups)
- 3/4 pound oyster mushrooms, trimmed leaving stems intact, and caps thinly sliced (3 3/4 cups)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) whole almonds with skins, toasted (see Tips, page 938), cooled, and finely ground in a food processor
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1/3 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup (3 ounces) shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps quartered
- 1 cup (2 3/4 ounces) oyster mushrooms, stems discarded and caps quartered
- 3/4 cup (3 1/2 ounces) whole almonds with skins, toasted and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Accompaniment: assorted toasts and/or crackers
- Special equipment: a 12-by-3-by-2 3/4 inch (2-quart) loaf pan or terrine; parchment paper
- Butter loaf pan, then line bottom and sides with parchment paper and butter paper.
- Bring stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove pan from heat, add porcini, and let soak in hot stock until softened, about 30 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon, transfer porcini to a medium-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press on porcini with back of a spoon to remove excess liquid, then add this to soaking liquid and reserve. Rinse porcini to remove any grit. Pat dry, chop, and put in a large bowl.
- Strain reserved soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or dampened paper towel into another small saucepan. Bring to a brisk simmer over moderate heat and simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add to porcini.
- Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add sherry and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a blender. Heat 2 more tablespoons butter in skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add one third of shiitake and oyster mushrooms and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cook remaining mushrooms in 2 batches, adding 2 more tablespoons butter to skillet for each batch. Add 2 cups sautéed mushrooms to shallot mixture in blender, and add remaining mushrooms to porcini mixture.
- Add cream, then eggs and almonds to blender and purée until mixture is very smooth, about 1 minute. Add purée to porcini mixture and stir in parsley, thyme, bread crumbs, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well combined. Pour mixture into loaf pan and cover with foil.
- Put loaf pan in a larger baking pan and add enough boiling water to reach halfway up sides of loaf pan. Bake until set 1/2 inch from edges, about 50 minutes (pâté will not be completely set in center). Remove loaf pan from baking pan and let cool to room temperature on a rack. Refrigerate pâté in loaf pan, covered, for at least 6 hours. Bring pâté to room temperature before adding topping.
- Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add mushrooms and almonds and cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and liquid they give off has evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool, then add parsley, salt, and pepper and toss to combine.
- To unmold pâté, run a thin knife between paper and edges of loaf pan. Invert a large plate over loaf pan and invert pâté onto plate (peel off paper). Mound topping on pâté, and spread on toasts and/or crackers.