This recipe is very simple to put together, yet decadent enough to impress as an appetizer or entree for a dinner party. I LOVE mushrooms, so I spoiled myself with these as a late dinner.
Very simple to put together, yet the end result is fantastic! Perfect as an appetizer, or a full entree!
The first thing to do is remove the stems, and the dark gills from the portobellas. Although the caps are large and “meaty”, they’re rather delicate, so be careful. Use a spoon to lightly scrape the dark gills away, and wipe the caps off with a paper towel to clean them. NEVER use water!
Carefully remove the stems, and use a spoon to lightly scrape away the dark gills on the inside of the mushroom cap. Don’t apply much pressure because the caps will break easily!
Lightly coat the caps with olive oil, and liberally season with salt and pepper. Broil gill-side down for about five minutes to release some of the extra moisture, and “toughen” up the bottom of the mushroom base.
Lay the caps upside-down on a broiler pan, and broil for about five minutes. You’ll notice quite an accumulation of water released from the caps.
Meanwhile, finely dice the stems you removed, one celery rib, and one small onion. Put them in a mixing bowl.
Make sure to dice the vegetables finely. The portobello caps will be fairly flat, and you want your mixture to hold together well once it’s ready to place on the caps.
Next come the seasonings. One tbsp of tarragon, one tbsp of oregano, and one tbsp of thyme.
From left to right: 1 tbsp of thyme, 1 tbsp oregano, and 1 tbsp tarragon. When you’re adding these spices to the bowl, crush the tarragon and thyme leaves lightly with your fingers to break down the larger pieces, and release the flavours.
Add 1 tbsp of minced garlic, and 1 can of salad crab. Carefully pick over the crab to remove any shells. Fresh lump crab can also be used.
Drain a can of salad crab, picking out any shells you may find. Add the crab, and 1 tbsp minced garlic to the bowl.
Lastly, the binders. 1/4 c of grated Parmesan cheese, 1/3 c of whipped salad dressing, and 1/2 c grated Havarti. I used light Parmesan and salad dressing, but full-fat Havarti. Any smooth-melting cheese can be used, such as Gouda or Fontina.
For this stuffing, I would stick to a smooth-melting cheese rather than a more stringy melting cheese such as mozzarella or Parmesan. Texturally, Havarti or other smoother cheeses create a decadent and rich topping surrounding the light bite to the vegetables. I’m not a fan of bread crumbs in stuffings like this, but if you are, feel free to add about a quarter of a cup at this point.
Finally, mix all of the ingredients very well. I use the back of a large serving spoon and “mash” the ingredients so the mixture is blended well.
Mix until the stuffing ingredients are completely incorporated. Use the back of a serving spoon to “mash” the ingredients together so the ingredients form a sticky filling.
Evenly divide the mixture over the portobello caps we prepared earlier. Make sure the caps are placed on the baking tray gill side up, and mound the stuffing over them. I’ve found it easiest to make a bit of a cake with the stuffing, and flatten it over the portobello caps.
Form cakes of the crab stuffing, and press them over the portobello caps.
Bake in a 400 degree oven for fifteen minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and hot. Garnish with a couple of curls of Havarti, and some parsley flakes.
Several steps to this recipe, but very simple to make. Even easier to dig into!
If serving as an appetizer, these are a decadent start to any gourmet meal. For something a little more substantial, consider serving with crostini or toast points.
Sounds yummy and will definitely make them. I precook mine upside down too and it makes a huge difference to the finished product. I’ve had stuffed mushrooms at a fancy restaurant where they didn’t and they were watery and nasty and expensive. .
I would have been very unhappy! I felt very ritzy last night when I had these around eleven o’clock… LOL
Yum! Great idea for an appetizer. I especially like how mushrooms come in different sizes. There’s aways someone who wants a big one and someone else who would prefer a smaller one.
You’re so right… I also love that with portobellos, you can have a nice “meaty” dish without the meat, yet not miss it! (I’m a self-professed carnivore!)
I’m a omnivore through and through. I LOVE meat but I also LOVE vegetables. A meal without meat or vegetables leaves me wanting.
These look great! I have recently found myself on a mushroom craze …www.glitzgirlzglamourguide.com
hi this looks sooo……mouth-watering. love it.
Thank you so much! They were quite decadent for my late-night feast!
I’m going to have to try this! I love mushrooms….
I love them too! And, they’re SO healthy for us!
These look amazing! I will definitely give them a try very soon!
Awesome! Would love to see your take on them!
wow! big appetizer!:) I like portobelloes but have used them in a soup-recipes.
They’re actually not that big! The plate I have it on is only about four inches wide… LOL This fall I’m going to be using them in a couple of different soups. I love mushrooms of any kind!
Pingback: Stuffed Mushrooms With Honey « Romancing the Bee