I can't see why a recipe would call for a scant 2 teaspoons of Marsala. Either it shouldn't have been in there at all or it refers to the hazelnuts. I wouldn't worry. Here's the recipe as it appears online.


Hazelnut and Wild Mushroom Pâté
By CHRISTINE MUHLKE
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons freshly ground pepper
1 pound wild mushrooms, sliced
½ pound Crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons Marsala wine Scant
1 cup roasted hazelnuts
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon apple-cider vinegar
½ teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cayenne.

1. In a large sauté pan over low heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Sweat the shallot until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Raise heat to medium and add salt and pepper and half the mushrooms. Sauté until fully cooked and browned, about 7 minutes. Turn off heat and add the Marsala. Remove to a plate to cool. Return the skillet to medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and cook the remaining mushrooms for about 7 minutes. Add to other mushrooms to cool.

2. In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts to medium fine and add the mushroom mixture, cayenne and nutmeg. With the machine running add in the melted butter and vinegars. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

3. Serve on crostini or crackers or as a filling inside a tart or turnover. Makes 3 cups. Adapted from Naomi Pomeroy at Beast in Portland, Ore.

I have the magazine and the recipe for the pate is only available online. Since it's laid out like this:
2 teaspoons Marsala wine Scant
1 cup roasted hazelnuts

I'm thinking it's 2 teaspoons Marsala wine, and Scant 1 cup roasted hazelnuts (since the word scant is capitalized).

Don't you hate the word scant? What does it mean? I'd rather see approximately or something like that.

I'd bet good money the recipe should probably read, "2 teaspoons Marsala wine, scant."