Supper, Sunday May 21: artisanal radish canape (mushroom pate, capers, celery leaf).
As a funky side we had mushroom pate, but with a twist. Just that day I was chatting with my friend and neighbor across the street. I showed him the lovely daikon radish I had just harvested. He related a story of a relative (uncle?) who used daikon slices like crackers. Alexis and I had been eating them sliced as nibbles already. This just got me on the question of what to eat on a daikon cracker. Mushroom pate popped in my head. I hadn't made that in forever, and a quick look in my recipe box showed I did not have a recipe.
Yay interwebs! I scanned a few recipes, fused and modified to come up with something to my taste. (Been on a tarragon kick lately. Don't know why, I used to hate tarragon.) I will give the recipe at the end but first I need to comment on the radish. Clearly the picture above is not of a daikon radish. The radish pictured is a variety called "Sweet Baby." It is purple, cylindrical, and about 3 inches long. Perfect for slicing. The name comes from the flavor. Cut a slice, lay it on the tongue, a subtle sweetness pops out, then when you bite you get that good radish burn. That little second or two of sweet is a little surprising and fun.
Anyhoo here is the recipe.
5 medium portabella caps coarsely chopped
5 dried shiitake caps coarsely choped
2 shallots diced
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup pinenuts lightly toasted
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1 heaping Tbsp capers
1/4 tsp each of salt and freshly ground pepper
Soak the chopped Shiitakis in a cup of boiling hot water until tender.
Sweat the shallots in the olive oil over medium heat.
Drain the shiitakes, reserve the liquid.
Add the portabellas and the drained shiitakes and saute 5 minutes.
Add the reserved liquid, spices, and 2/3 of the pinenuts.
Simmer until liquid is mostly reduced away.
Process with the sesame oil to a paste.
Fold in the capers and the remaining pinenuts.
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