Big Joe’s Big Stuffed Mushrooms

The enjoyable stuffed mushroom is a perfect appetizer. It awakens all kinds of taste sensors and prepares the palette for your dinner that’s on the way. The other positive about the stuffed mushroom is that you can serve these long before your dinner and it will satisfy those who have cravings and big appetites.

I make these stuffed mushrooms with sausage because it adds great flavor. If you’re a vegetarian or have dietary restrictions, substitute the sausage with eggplant (sautéed) or add more spinach and cheese as filler. Depending on the number of people that you are serving, I will put another tray of mushrooms in after the first tray is almost ready to come out as to serve the second round warm and freshly baked appetizers. Enjoy the stuffed mushrooms.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
24 large white button mushrooms, stemmed (finely chop stems and set aside)
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ small jar pimentos, drained and finely chopped
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
½ cup Italian-style bread crumbs
½ cup grated Romano cheese

How to put them together:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large sauté pan add 1 ½ tablespoons of oil to pan over med-high eat. Cook mushrooms with caps down first and cook until golden brown. Flip caps over and brown that side.

Remove caps and set aside (caps down) on a non-stick baking sheet. Wipe pan, add small amount of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add sausage to pan while breaking it up into small pieces and cook for about 4 minutes.

Add onions, chopped mushroom stems, celery, garlic and pimentos and cook for another 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, add breadcrumbs and cheese stirring them together.

Scoop mixture with a spoon to fill mushroom caps on baking sheet. Cook stuffed caps in oven for about 7 minutes until mushroom cap is crisp and stuffing is hard. Place on platter.

Serves about 8 – 10.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.