Mushrooms of every type have such of range of flavor, or when milder, they are the perfect conductors of flavor. From the Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms that are grown in Cutchogue, Long Island that arrive fresh from the farm to our restaurant to the dried mushrooms such as Porcini, from Italy and Black Mushroom from China. All of this edible fungus bring something unique to the table.
Another benefit is that of nutrition as cooked mushrooms are, they are also an excellent source of Vitamin B and Potassium. They contain minerals such as selenium which protects the body against tissue-damaging free radicals. Additionally the ingestion of mushrooms can lower blood sugar and cholesterol.
When serving stuffed mushrooms for a party, I like to use the large white button mushroom with a wide mouth to hold plenty of stuffing and melted cheese. Another bonus is that an entire cup of mushrooms has about 25 calories, and gives you a bit more leeway with toppings that may be higher in calories.
This past weekend at Cuvee we served these Spanish style mushrooms filled with spinach, Parsley, onion, minced mushroom stems and a pinch of smoked Spanish Chorizo. We baked them with tangy Manchego Cheese and served them with White Sangria for a festive evening.
Ingredients
20 larger button mushrooms
1/2 cup of finely minced onion
1 cup of minced spinach
1/8 cup of finely minced parsley
2 tablespoons of minced dry chorizo sausage (optional)(mince or coarse pulse in the food processor)
2 cups of fresh grated manchego cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 egg yolks
The Stuffing
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and mince finely
Mince spinach, parsley and onion
Grate the cheese and reserve another cup for the topping
Mix all the minced ingredients including the Chorizo along with the one cup of cheese together in a bowl
Stuffing the mushrooms
Wipe your button mushrooms clean with a damp cloth (do not wash the mushrooms with water or you will ruin them as they are porous and will absorb water and get soggy).
Spray cookie sheet with olive oil spray and evenly sprinkle the tray with a bit of salt
Arrange your mushrooms on the salted tray with hole facing up
Fill the mushrooms with the mixture
Once all the mushrooms are filled go back and top with grated cheese
Bake for 15 minutes and allow to cool before serving.
