These small, tasty mushrooms are easy to make and extremely presentable. They are perfect for big holiday meals, intimate dinner parties or a feast for one.
As the only vegetarian in my family, holiday meals usually consisted of my filling my plate with delicious side dishes and skipping the main course. Thankfully, I can’t recall a holiday meal with my family that didn’t include a warm tray of delicious stuffed button mushrooms. They are small, tasty, easy to make and very presentable; it’s no wonder they make the short list every time.
In recent years, when making them for Thanksgiving or Christmas get-togethers, I’ve made a point of making more than needed so that I could be sure to have mushrooms left over to bring with me for lunch the next day. Every time I did, my classmates or coworkers would always ask with jealousy in their voice, “What are those?” I’d respond simply “Stuffed Mushrooms” and of course the next follow up question would be, “What are they stuffed with?” Well, the truth is, they are mushrooms stuffed with mushrooms.
The ingredients aren’t extravagant or experimental, it’s simply an interesting way to flavour, bake and serve a side of button mushrooms. I don’t recall exactly where the original recipe came from, or how many times it has been altered along the way, but the recipe that follows is, in my opinion, the tastiest way to bake them. Try them for your next holiday get-together, pot-luck or evening when you want to treat yourself to something a little different.
Stuffed Button Mushrooms
(Serves 2-4 as a side dish – depending, of course, on how generous you are!)
Items you’ll need:
- 1 package of white button mushrooms with the stems attached (approximately 18) **try to choose mushrooms that are all approximately the same size**
- 3 tbsps of olive oil
- 1 egg
- 3 tsps of finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup of plain breadcrumbs
- A few sprigs of parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
What you’ll need to do:
1. Thoroughly wash the mushrooms and pat them dry. Take hold of one mushroom from the cap and with the other hand, gently press against the stem until it snaps, then press against the stem in the opposite direction and pull it out. (The point of this exercise is to remove the entire stem without breaking the cap). Repeat this process with all of the mushrooms, keeping the stems aside to use later.
3. In a small bowl, beat the egg with one teaspoon of the grated Parmesan cheese. Add the fried mushroom pieces and parsley (torn into pieces) and then salt and pepper to taste. (A pinch of each will do). Add the breadcrumbs and mix well. The mixture will clump and resemble a thick oatmeal.2. Once all the stems have been removed, take hold of each mushroom again from the cap, and with the other hand gently run a small sharp knife along the inside to remove the thin edge that joined the cap with the stem. (Be careful not to press too hard or the mushroom cap will split). Add the removed mushroom edges and stems (finely chopped) to a small frying pan and place over medium to high heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and fry until soft.
4. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow baking pan or ceramic baker. Make sure the caps are tight within the pan, with little room to move between them. Add enough water to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. (1/2 cup should suffice).
5. Sprinkle one teaspoon of Parmesan cheese and the remaining olive oil over the empty mushroom caps (allowing some to sprinkle onto the water). Fill each cap with the breadcrumb mixture and then sprinkle the tops with the remaining teaspoon of Parmesan cheese.
6. Cover the pan loosely with foil paper and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Once the mushrooms appear soft and the water has thickened, remove the foil and continue to bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the caps begin to brown.
Remove the mushrooms from the baking pan and place on a serving tray. Pour any remaining liquid from the pan over the mushrooms and enjoy. The stuffed mushrooms will be deceivingly hot, so wait for them to cool or at least slice them in half and have a cold glass of sparkling water nearby.
Buon Apetito!
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