Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

By LaLaCooks

From author, Joyce Goldstein: The most common stuffing for this popular tapa mixes sausage or ham, onion, garlic, and the chopped stems from the mushrooms. The stuffed mushrooms are then topped with cheese, bread crumbs, or a mixture, and baked. Sauteing the mushroom caps in oil to soften them a bit before they are stuffed helps them to cook more evenly in the oven.

For this stuffing, I buy semi-cured chorizo, grind it in a food processor, and then saute it with the onions and stems for a few minutes. If you can only find dry chorizo, chop it very finely in the processor and saute it only briefly with the onion and stems to infuse the stuffing with its pronounced flavor. (If you can't find either type of chorizo, use 1/2 pound ground pork and season it with 2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon minced garlic.) Any leftover filling is a great addition to scrambled eggs.

Ingredients

• 12 large cultivated white mushrooms, about 2 inches in diameter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons finely minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup minced serrano ham (optional)
• 1/4 pound semicured chorizo, ground in a food processor
• 1/4 cup toasted or fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, thyme, or marjoram
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Manchego cheese (optional)

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Carefully remove the stems from the mushrooms, and chop the stems finely. (You can do this in a processor, pulsing to chop.) You will need 1/2 to 2/3 cups chopped stems.
2. In a saute pan, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushroom caps in batches and brown briefly on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a cazuela or shallow baking dish, hollow-side up, and set aside.
3. Wipe out the saute pan and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stems and cook, stirring, until the stems are wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the ham, if using, and chorizo and cook, stirring, until the chorizo is cooked; about 3 minutes. Stir in the bread crumbs and parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the ham will give off more salt in the heat of the oven.
4. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps, mounding it slightly. Sprinkle evenly with the cheese, if using. (The mushrooms can be prepared up to this point 4 to 8 hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking.)
5. Bake until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms are hot and bubbling about 15 minutes. Serve from the cazuela or transfer to a platter and serve hot or warm.

Variations: Add 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds to the stuffing with the parsley. Or, omit the cheese and add a pinch of ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon grated orange zest with the chorizo.