Beef and Wild Mushroom Pate

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
250 grams mushrooms cleaned of different types such as shitakes, morels, chanterellesm wood ears
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon finely-ground black pepper, divided
300 grams lean ground beef
150 grams ground pork
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons chopped sage
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
2 egg whites
12 slices of prosciutto

Preheat oven to 150 degrees.

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oilover medium high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and cook until they give off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and cool.

In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, pork, buttermilk, sage, thyme, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, egg whites, and the cooled mushrooms.

Stir well to blend. Line a 6-cup (12- by 3- by 3-inch) terrine mold with prosciutto slices, overhanging the strips over the edges of the mold. Pour the pate filling into the mold and cover with the prosciutto.

Wrap the terrine loosely in plastic wrap. Top with an equal sized terrine, or a piece of cardboard wrapped in aluminum foil. Place a brick on top of the terrine mold and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and allow pate to stand for 30 minutes before removing the weight and unwrapping. Pour off any accumulated juices and allow pate to cool completely. Cover pate with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cooled. Serve slices of pate either cold or at room temperature, lightly drizzled with the Cognac Mustard Sauce, with cornichons on the side.

Cognac Mustard Sauce: In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and whisk until well incorporated.

# 1/2 cup dry mustard
# 1/2 cup brandy or Cognac
# 1 tablespoon honey
# 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
# 1/2 teaspoon salt