Mushrooms were not always something I enjoyed. Their texture and earthy aromas were a turn off in my younger years. Times change and mushrooms and I have become better friends. So in this first edition of Friday Finger Foods we’ll bake some stuffed with breadcrumbs and herbs.
I realize it’s only Tuesday but if you’re going to follow along we’ll need to pick up the ingredients and have a rough idea of what the process looks like so we will be prepped and ready when Friday rolls around. Besides, who wants to be standing in line at the grocery store on Friday afternoon. Cocktails in the kitchen is where I’d rather be.
The recipe makes 24 mushrooms and was adapted from Joy of Cooking.
The Fixings
- 20 oz of mushrooms, wiped clean
- 4 tbsp butter, divided
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp basil chopped
- 2 tbsp dry vermouth
- salt & pepper
- 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
The Process
Remove and reserve the stems from all of the mushrooms. Collect 24 similar sized mushrooms and toss with 2 tbsp of melted butter. Slice the remaining caps. Also rinse and chop the remaining stems.
Melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter in a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and thyme and stir occasionally for 5 minutes.
Stir in the breadcrumbs, basil and vermouth. Pour mixture into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Fill each of the 24 mushroom caps with 1 heaping tablespoon of the chopped mushroom mixture. Place on a baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake until tops are bubbling about 15 minutes and serve warm.
Notes & Et cetera
These can be made up to two weeks ahead and frozen. Thaw for 1 hour before baking.
The same amount of olive oil can be substituted for the butter and chives or tarragon used instead of basil. If you don’t have vermouth, try sherry or for an Asian flair rice wine.
