Warm Nut Loaf

Sunrise in December

Although not yet official on the calendar, winter weather has arrived. We received our first significant snowfall this week and temperatures are expected to drop into the single digits tonight. This is a great recipe that is very satisfying and will provide you with extra fuel for winter activities like shoveling  the walkway and driveway.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion chopped
oil for sauteing
2 cups chopped mushrooms of your choice
2 cloves garlic minced 
1/4 cup sherry or broth
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups walnuts chopped fine
1 cup almonds chopped fine
5 eggs beaten
1 cup cottage cheese
8 ounces grated gruyere cheese
4 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon 
1 teaspoon dried sage

4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried
salt and pepper

Saute onion in oil about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until softened. Add garlic, thyme, tarragon and sage. When mushrooms and onion begin to dry add sherry or broth and cook over low heat about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

In a large bowl, mix rice and nuts together. In a small bowl combine eggs and cottage cheese. Add to nuts and rice then stir in mushroom mixture. Add cheeses and parsley and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Grease a loaf pan and line with parchment paper, overlapping sides. Pat loaf mixture firmly into pan. Place on baking tray and bake at 350 degrees for an hour or longer until set. Cool on rack for ten minutes, then lift out of pan with parchment paper. Serve warm with mushroom gravy.

Mushroom Gravy:
1 cup mushrooms sliced
3 Tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic
1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 cup broth 
1/2 cup cream
 
Saute mushrooms and garlic in 2 Tablespoons butter until soft. Remove pan from heat and set aside. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter over low heat then stir in 1 Tablespoon flour. Cook roux until it begins to thicken, then gradual add liquid ingredients, continuing to stir until heated through and thickened.  Serve immediately over nut loaf.