Stuffed Mushrooms

These mushrooms are one of the first recipes I ever developed, and they received rave reviews. Perhaps that initial success was one of the things that contributed to my continued dabbling in the culinary arts. Anyway, that was a long time ago, but I've been making them ever since. While they are a little more labor intensive than a lot of the dishes I do, they're certainly not difficult. They involve making a simple filling and then baking for 30 minutes.

Stuffed Mushrooms
Yield: 10-12 mushrooms

10-12 large mushrooms with the stems removed

2 TBS butter
10-12 mushroom stems, chopped
1/2 cup minced onions
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp minced fresh sage (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1 1/2 cup diced, packed spinach
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp salt or to taste

1 TBS melted butter
1/8 cup white wine
1/8 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium skillet, over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the onions, garlic, and mushroom stems. Saute until softened and lightly browned. Add the spinach and saute for another minute or two. Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Stir to loosen up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, cheese, and bread crumbs. Stir gently to mix. Be careful not to stir too much once the bread crumbs are added as the stuffing can become pasty. Place the mushroom caps in a baking vessel. I like to use a cast iron skillet, but any heavy baking dish will do. Fill the caps with the stuffing. Do not pack down too tightly. Sprinkle the tops with Parmesan cheese. Mix the last three ingredients together and pour in the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.