Serves 6 to 8

I threw in a few stalks of celery in the initial saute, and used two big shallots instead of one onion. I also threw in some pine nuts that I had. I did half shitake and half button mushrooms, which was tasty. Go easy on the cheese--err on a smaller amount, and choose mild flavors (stronger flavored cheeses drowned out the subtle flavors of the mushrooms and nuts). I threw in an extra egg for additional binding, because I used slightly more of most ingredients. Don't be afraid of the amount of herbs in the recipe--it didn't come out too strong.

• Nut loaf is a very forgiving recipe. You can add more mushrooms or less cheese if you want to lighten it up, for example. You can use ordinary button mushrooms for a wonderful classic nut loaf, or you can substitute some or all of the buttons for fresh shiitake. I've never used the more exotic wild mushrooms because I imagine their flavor would get lost, but if you have the spare cash, they may be worth experimenting with.