I said:The book _CookSmart_ has an entire chapter devoted to stuffed mushrooms,
and everything I've made from that book has been pretty much foolproof.
Here's part of the introduction to that chapter:
==============================BEGIN QUOTE================================
ROASTING RULES
I started with the most straightforward method, stuffing raw mushrooms with
a basic filling of sautéed stems, onions, bread crumbs, and binder and
roasting them at temperatures ranging from 350 to 450 degrees. Cooked at
the lower temperature, the caps were weak-flavored and spongy-textured,
while at the highest temperature, the stuffing burned. Roasting on the
lowest rack of the oven gives the mushrooms the right amount of strong heat,
and a temperature of 425 degrees is sufficient to evaporate their liquid,
intensify their flavor and turn them a nutty golden brown. But this
browning only occurs when the roasting pan is low- or (or no-) sided and
when the pan is not overcrowded.
It's important to butter or oil the mushroom caps before filling them.
Without some lubrication, the caps wrinkle unattractively. Before brushing
them, I whirl the oil with garlic in a food processor, which produces a
smoother blend than does chopping and mixing the garlic by hand. [BOB'S
NOTE: A mortar and pestle can make it even smoother. Your choice.]
A number of recipes suggest roasting the mushrooms before filling them. I
pre-roasted mushrooms in several ways: stem side up, stem side down, and
then starting them on one side and turnign them. I discovered that as long
as you roast the mushrooms on the bottom rack on the right baking sheet,
this extra step is unnecessary. Nor is broiling stuffed mushrooms either
before or after stuffing them a good idea. The mushrooms require constant
tending and turn leathery. Sautéing them before roasting doesn't give
superior results, either.
Simmering or soaking the mushrooms in boiling lemon water is another first
step in a few recipes. This hot bath is supposed to jump-start the cooking
process, but it gives the mushrooms an unpleasant canned flavor. To draw
out some of their liquid and season them throughout, I tried salting a
batch. Again, no luck: the salt made the mushrooms tough and rubbery.
THE BIG SCOOP
Scraping out the dark brown gills with a melon baller (or a teaspoon) helps
in four ways. It reduces the amount of moisture released by the mushroom.
It creates a larger area for stuffing. Although hollowing out the mushrooms
takes a little more time, it makes the stuffing process easier. Finally,
the filling can be spread over the entire bottom of the cap, resulting in a
mushroom that's easier to eat.
Regardless of the kind of filling, it makes sense to use the mushroom stems
as a base. Bold flavorings work well in combination with them, and strong
cheeses, such as blue, feta, and goat, can double as flavoring and binder.
For the filler, crushed cracker crumbs are superior to fresh and dry bread
crumbs, offering better texture than fresh and better flavor than dry.
===============================END QUOTE=================================
Here's what Jude wrote earlier:
Quoted message said:stuffed mushrooms, with stuffing of breadcrumbs, garlic, and wild
mushrooms
Learning from the experiences of others, I'd recommend using cracker crumbs
rather than breadcrumbs. Since you want to use wild mushrooms, I guess
you'll be either discarding the gills and caps from the "normal" mushrooms
or saving them for some other use. With those notions in mind, here's a
first cut at a recipe (scaled down for two people):
VALENTINE'S DAY MUSHROOMS
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
4 large mushrooms or 6 button mushrooms
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 ounces fresh wild mushrooms or 1 ounce dried wild mushrooms
a pinch of dried thyme leaves
2 teaspoons sweet sherry
a generous tablespoon of crushed saltine crackers
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
If the wild mushrooms are dried, rehydrate them in plenty of warm water. Let
them soak for 15 minutes, then squeeze them in a towel to remove excess
liquid. Chop (fresh or rehydrated dried) wild mushrooms finely.
Line a cookie sheet or other low-sided pan with foil and spray with
vegetable-oil cooking spray. Remove mushroom stems. Using a teaspoon or
melon baller, scrape the gills from each mushroom. Reserve stems and gills
for some other use or discard.
Using mini-chopper, garlic press, or mortar and pestle, incorporate HALF the
garlic into ONE TABLESPOON of the oil. (You're after a smooth purée.)
Brush the mushroom caps with the garlic-oil purée and then salt and pepper
them. (You should have a little bit of the garlic-oil purée left over.)
Arrange the mushroom caps on the pan; do not crowd.
Adjust oven rack to lowest level and preheat oven to 425F.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a small skillet. Add shallot and
sauté until soft and golden, just a couple minutes. Press the remaining
garlic into the skillet at the last minute. Add chopped wild mushrooms and
thyme; lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook until liquid evaporates,
2-3 minutes. Add sherry and simmer for about 15 seconds to burn off some of
the alcohol.
Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Stir in cracker crumbs, parsley, and about
three-quarters of the Parmesan cheese. Stuff mushrooms with that mixture,
then sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese over the top of the mushrooms.
Lightly brush the mushrooms with the remaining garlic-oil purée and roast
until caps and filling are well-browned, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 5
minutes, transfer to serving dishes, and serve.
Bob
