sausage stuffed mushrooms

This recipe has now been updated.

I’ve started and deleted this post about five times in the last two days, not because I don’t want to tell you how wonderful these mushrooms are, but because, well, it’s Spring.  And I am, well, feverish.  Feverish to grill out and have friends and family over.  Feverish to buy some porch furniture so Gerrit and I can sit on our screened porch and enjoy the weather.  Feverish to finish weeding and get my herb garden planted.  Not so much feverish to focus my mind and form a coherent post for you.  There is too much excitement about the upcoming season on my mind.

These little mushroom bites were delicious though.  I know I’ve said in the past that I have had issues with appetizers, but I think things like these mushrooms are what will cure me.  Mushrooms, which are quickly becoming one of my new favorite food items thanks to this and these, stuffed with sausage cooked with wine and melted cheese and tossed with some crispy bread crumbs.  They disappeared in about three minutes.  And I’m not exaggerating.

So put these in the oven and gather your friends and family around for a party.  It’s that time of year.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
adapted from The Neelys and Ina Garten

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes

Makes about 25-30

1 lb. white mushrooms (about 25-30)
Olive oil
1 lb. regular sausage
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
Salt
Pepper

1. Prepare the mushrooms by wiping them off with a damp paper towel and then snapping the stems out of the center of them so that there is room to stuff the inside of the mushroom caps.  Finely chop the mushroom stems, and then set aside both the stems and caps for later.
2. Add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the sausage to brown, stirring often with a spatula or wooden spoon. As the sausage begins to brown add the chopped mushroom stems.  When the sausage is almost completely browned, add the garlic, cooking for 1-2 more minutes.  Then add the wine, using a spoon to scrap the brown bits off from the bottom of the pan.  Continue to cook until most of the wine has cooked down (there will still be some liquid in the pan though).
3. Add the cream cheese and cook, stirring often, until the cheese is melted.  Then transfer the entire mixture to a large bowl.
4. Stir in the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parlsey, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper.  Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Spread the mushrooms out evenly in a baking dish, cap side down, hollow center side up.  Drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
7. Stuff a small amount of the sausage mixture into the cap of each mushroom.  They should be overflowing slightly, but not so much that there is sausage in danger of falling out of the mushroom.  (There will most likely be a good amount of filling left over, so you can easily make more of this appetizer without having to make more stuffing, or find another use for the sausage stuffing.)
8. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.  Serve warm.