Mushroom hazelnut pate (nutrient-rich)

My recipes are nutrient-dense.Recall that foods that typically contain saturated fatty acids are butter, red meats, coconut oil, and palm oil. Unsaturated fatty acids are found in plant foods; examples of monounsaturated fatty acids are olive oil and peanut oils. Examples of polyunsaturated fatty acids (two or more carbon bonds along the carbon chain) are corn and safflower oils. Fat is involved in the protection of vital organs and metabolism of  all other energy nutrients, metabolism of cholesterol, and synthesis of Vitamin D and other fat-soluble nutrients.

Thank you to one of my favorite students (for this recipe)

MUSHROOM HAZELNUT PATE

Whole (mushrooms, preferably shitake but button or crimini are fine)

Inexpensive (substitute less expensive mushrooms and cream cheese on sale for Neufchatel)

Slow( comes from the sauté and chilling time)

Equitable (hazelnuts, buy local)

I love the taste of this recipe – if you can afford to make it with all the fresh ingredients listed. A student brought it to a potluck once. He was a geographer, it was the first potluck food he had ever made. It was devoured by the class and became a favorite potluck recipe for all time.

Here is the hardest thing: timing the gelatin just right

Substitutes: Use agar-agar instead of gelatin (buy in a food co-op)

4oz. shiitake mushrooms 

3 Tbsp. butter

1 clove garlic, minced

¼ c. toasted hazelnuts

3 oz. Neufchatel cheese  (saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, including the essential linoleic and linolenic acids)