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Chestnut and mushroom pate Serves 4 (as a starter)

Ingredients

• 125g (4oz) chestnuts
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 250g (8oz) closed cup mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp thyme, plus extra to garnish
• 3 tbsp sweet sherry
• 3 tbsp crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp single cream

Method

Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200ºC, fan 180ºC. Cut a cross on the base of each chestnut and spread them out on a baking sheet.

Roast for 25-30 minutes until the skins come away easily and the chestnuts are tender. Remove the skins and roughly chop the nuts.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, mushrooms, thyme and 100g (3½oz) of the chopped chestnuts. Cook on a very low heat for about 20 minutes. Add the sherry and turn up the heat, letting all the liquid bubble off.

Put the mixture in a blender, along with the crème fraîche and single cream, and whizz to form a coarse pâté.

Serve on toast, garnished with the remaining thyme and chopped chestnuts.