Mushroom Tempeh Pâté

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet)

1/4 lb. button mushrooms
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 oz. tempeh, cubed
1 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. rubbed sage
1/8 tsp. ground allspice

Chop the mushrooms coarsely.  Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the tempeh, mushrooms, onion, and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.  The mushroom liquid will evaporate and the mushrooms and onions will brown slightly.  Stir in the sherry, soy sauce, sage, and allspice.  Cook stirring constantly, about 5 minutes, until the liquid is gone.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Puree the mixture in a food processor to a thick, homogenous consistency.  Spoon into a serving bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.  Serve at room temperature with crisp crackers or baguette slices.

(Add salt and pepper to taste - I found it needed more salt!)

Asparagus Risotto with Oyster Mushrooms and Ginger

(recipe from The Vegan Gourmet by Susann Geiskopf-Hadler & Mindy Toomay)

5 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 lb. asparagus
6 oz. oyster mushrooms
2 tsp. dark sesame oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. dried red chili flakes
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked arborio rice
3 minced green onions

Heat the stock, soy sauce, and ginger in a saucepan until just steaming, and keep this broth handy near the stove.  Rinse the asparagus, break off and discard the tough stem ends, and cut at a slant into 1-inch pieces.  Rinse the mushrooms, pat dry, and chop coarsely.

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium heat.  Add half of the garlic and the red chili flakes and saute a minute or two, stirring constantly.  Add the bell pepper, asparagus, and salt.  Saute 5 minutes, stirring frequently.  Stir in the mushrooms, add the sherry, and immediately cover the pan tightly.  Remove the pan from the heat and set aside with the lid on.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the remaining garlic for 1 minute, then add the rice and stir to coat with the oil and garlic.  Add 1 cup of broth to the rice, and stir gently until the liquid is absorbed.  Add the remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting until the liquid is absorbed before each addition.  When the last addition of broth has been absorbed and the rice is creamy and tender, stir in the asparagus and mushrooms, along with any pan juices.  Heat through for 1 minute.  Transfer to a warmed tureen or individual serving bowls and sprinkle with the green onions.  Serve very hot.

Delicata Squash with Carmelized Shallots & Sherry

(recipe from Fine Cooking magazine)

1 1/4 lbs. delicata squash
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup dry sherry
Kosher salt and feshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced shallots (2 to 3 large)
4 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage

Heat the oven to 350F.  Peel the squash, leaving the skin in the crevices (it's tender enough to eat).  Trim the ends.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Slice the halves crosswise 1/2-inch thick.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat.  Add half of the squash in a single layer and cook without moving until the slices begin to brown, about 2 minutes.  Flip and cook until the second side begins to brown, 1 to 2 minutes.  Transfer to a 9x13-inch baking dish.  Repeat with the remaining squash.  Arrange the squash in a single layer in the dish.  Sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. of the sherry, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and the butter in the skillet over medium heat.  Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn deep golden brown on the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.  Take the pan off the heat and immediately add the sage and the remaining 2 Tbsp. sherry, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Scatter the shallots over the squash.

Cover the pan with foil and bake until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

(I do not peel delicata squash - the skin is tender and edible when cooked.  Also, I skipped the step with browning the squash - I just sliced and layered in the pan raw.  You may want to check on the squash after 20 minutes in the oven, as my squash were very tender after 25 minutes.  The sherry and the sage make this an incredibly tasty dish!  I had some butter to use up in the fridge, but you could use all olive oil and make it vegan.)