Mushroom & Summer Squash Pâté w Red Pepper Sauce
The weather has been cooling off, and it made me want deeper, more comforting food. But I’m still slogging through summer squash. A vegetarian nut loaf seemed an appropriate compromise.

1 onion, chopped
3 T. unsalted, cultured butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb. thin sliced mushrooms
2 large summer squash, grated
1 C mixed fresh herbs, chopped (I used basil, oregano, parsley, and lovage)
1 T. dried thyme
1 T. dried marjoram
¼ C. sherry vinegar
1 C. whole milk cottage cheese
1 C. grated parmesan cheese
1 C. toasted almonds
2 C. toasted walnuts
5 eggs
salt and pepper

Place the grated squash into a colander and salt it. Let it sit for about 20 minutes while you chop everything else.

Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Set aside. Thinly slice the mushrooms and set aside. Chop the herbs and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Next, heat the butter in a large cast iron skillet and sauté the onion and garlic until golden. Add the mushrooms, and some salt and pepper. While the mushrooms soften and become fragrant, squeeze out the grated squash, and then add it to the pan. Add the dried thyme and marjoram. Cook until everything is nearly dry, then pour the sherry vinegar over it all and let it reduce to a mere tablespoon. Remove the pan from heat and set aside.

Grease a loaf pan with netural vegetable oil like sunflower or expeller pressed coconut oil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the cottage and parmesan cheeses, and then the fresh herbs. Salt and pepper this mixture generously. Then, add themushroom and squash mixture, and combine everything thoroughly.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for an hour, placing a sheet pan underneath to catch any overflows.

Meanwhile, roast the peppers in a toaster oven, char them on a grill, or broil them until the skins blister. Remove the seeds and discard. Toss the peppers into a food processor with a couple cloves of fresh garlic, some olive oil, and some salt and pepper. Process to a fine puree.

Once the pâté is out of the oven, cool in pan at least a half hour before turning the pâté out onto a board and slicing. Top slices with red pepper sauce.

I ate this with a side of French filet beans, steamed briefly in vegetable broth with a squeeze of lemon.