Makes about 2 cups

• 3 tablespoons butter, margarine, or olive oil
• 4 medium shallots, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 pound mushrooms, cleaned and chopped or sliced
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, tarragon, Mexican mint marigold, or sweet marjoram
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• 1 raw egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, pine nuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup soft white bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Adding a little at a time, sauté shallots, onions, garlic, and mushrooms in butter or oil over high heat, being careful not to burn. Add wine, sour cream, and seasonings, then cook until almost all liquids are evaporated. Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Add beaten egg, nuts, and bread crumbs, mixing gently until well combined. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Cook a tablespoon of mixture in a small greased skillet to check seasonings, and adjust as needed.

Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay of Cleveland, Texas, are veteran herb growers and cooks. Some of the recipes in this article are adapted from their classic book, Southern Herb Growing (Fredericksburg, Texas: Shearer Publishing, 1987).