Recipes

Pairs Well With

• Zinfandel
• Port

Serves 8

Ingredients

Filling:

3 garlic cloves, minced fine

2 onions, quartered then chopped fine in Cuisinart with garlic

2 T unsalted butter

1 1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped in Cuisinart

1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled

1/2 cup firmly packed fresh parsley leaves

1 large egg

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

1 stick unsalted butter

A 1 lb loaf of very thinly sliced homemade type white bread

For the sauce:

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon Pedroncelli Port

1/4 cup dried currants

1/2 cup canned beef broth

2 T currant jelly

2 t red wine vinegar

1 T arrowroot

Flat leafed parsley sprigs for garnish

Preparation

In kettle, stir onion and garlic mix in butter over moderate to low heat until softened. Add mushrooms, thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally 15-20 min or until most of mushroom liquid is evaporated. Cool 15 minutes. Transfer mix to dish towel, squeeze out 1 cup, reserving liquid for the sauce. Transfer mix to bowl.

In processor mince parsley, add to bowl. In processor, blend egg, cream cheese, and cream until smooth and stir into mushroom mix with parmesan, salt and pepper. Filling can be made 1 day in advance and kept covered, chilled.

In small saucepan melt butter. Cool 5 minutes. Cut 8 slices of the bread into rounds the same size as bottom of 1/2 cup metal charlotte molds or ovenproof dishes. Brush rounds lightly on both sides with butter, and put in bottom of the molds. Cut out 8 more rounds the same size as tops of the molds and reserve. Trim crusts from the remaining slices and cut each slice into 4 squares. Brush both sides with butter and line sides of the molds with squares, over lapping slightly. Press squares against sides. Spoon the filling in just to the top of the bread lining. Brush both sides of reserved bread rounds with butter and press down to cover the filling completely. Bake on baking sheet in 425 preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the bread is golden.

Sauce: Combine 1/2 cup of the port and the currants, bring port to a boil; boil until reduced to about 3 TBSP. Add reserved mushroom liquid and the broth, and boil it until it is reduced to about 3/4 cup. Whisk in the jelly and vinegar and boil, whisking, until jelly dissolved. In small bowl stir together the remaining 1 TBSP Port and arrowroot and whisk mix into sauce. Boil sauce, whisking, 1 minute, add salt and pepper and keep warm. Invert the charlottes onto plates, spoon the sauce around, and garnish with parsley.