Savoury side dish recipe: mushroom mousse

Mousses tend to be high in fat from heavy cream. This lightened mushroom version uses whipped reduced-fat cream cheese to slash calories without sacrificing taste. Serve as a side dish for chicken or beef. Or, serve as a spread with crackers.

Prep time 15 min 

Cook time 10 min 

Makes 350 millilitres (1 1/2 cups)

• 15 ml (1 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 3 shallots, finely chopped (about 100 g/1/3 c)
• 250 g (8 oz) mushrooms, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• 110 g (4 oz) Neufchâtel cream cheese, softened
• 30 ml (2 tbsp) minced fresh parsley (optional)
• 1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped (optional)

1. In a 25 centimetre (10 inch) nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until they begin to soften, for one minute.
2. Add the mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released their juices, about five minutes. Raise the heat to high and cook until the mixture is almost dry, three to five minutes longer. Remove from the heat and let cool.
3. In a food processor or blender, whirl the mushroom mixture with the cream cheese until smooth, 30 seconds.
4. Transfer the mousse to a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley and egg, if using.
5. Cover and chill for two hours.

• Mix two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) lemon zest into the mousse and use it as a filling for breaded chicken breasts.
• Cut a pocket in the chicken breasts, stuff with the mousse, then coat with breading.
• Pan-fry or bake until the juices run clear when the chicken is pierced with a knife, 10 to 15 minutes.

• It's easy to preserve garden parsley (or buy a bunch) to have its fresh flavour on hand throughout the year.
• Wash and let it dry; remove the tough stalks from the leaves.
• Lay the dry leaves on a length of plastic wrap, and wrap it up, tightly, into a log.
• Put in a ziplock bag in the freezer.
• When you need some, simply unroll partially to expose the amount you require.

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