Stuffed Mushrooms

I have not been posting much...life is just getting in the way. My son has finally made a decision and will be attending the University of Pennsylvania in the fall...we are pleased as punch. And oh
so proud of him!

I found some lovely huge mushrooms at the market and I just had a craving for some stuffed mushrooms....this recipe is simple and easy...I had everything in the house already...
I made some home made garlic bread and we went to town...
I did use 8 huge mushrooms and cut down the ingredients accordingly....


Stuffed Mushrooms
Makes 6 servings
Lidia Bastianich
from Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen
Ingredients

24 white or cremini mushrooms with caps about 1 1/2 inches in diameter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the tops of the mushrooms if you like
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
1/2 cup of finely chopped red bell peppers
1/2 cup coarse breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
Salt

Freshly ground pepper:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup Chicken Stock Vegetable Stock or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1/4 cup of dry white wine, optional

Method

Serve these nice and hot, or let them cool to room temp. If you'd like to make this a little more contemporary, you can add a dash of balsamic vinegar to the red peppers and scallions as they cook. In true Italian-American style, these are topped with butter, but in Italy, we would use olive oil. Best yet, top them with butter, then "bless" them all with a little olive oil.

This stuffing is delicious in celery stalks baked with a light tomato sauce. You can also line up blanched asparagus on a baking sheet, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over them and bake them until the crumbs are crispy. I'm sure you can come up with a lot of uses for the breadcrumbs. Remember, I give you the basics, but I want you to go play.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them fine. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the red peppers and chopped mushroom stems and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove and cool.

Toss the breadcrumbs, grated cheese, 2 tablespoons of the parsley and the sautéed vegetables until thoroughly blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity of each mushroom with the filling, pressing it in with a teaspoon until even with the sides of the mushrooms.

Using 2 tablespoons of the butter, grease a 12 x 18-inch low-sided baking pan. Arrange the mushrooms side-by-side in the pan and, using the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, dot the top of each mushroom with about 1/4 teaspoon butter. Add the stock, wine, if using, and remaining 2 tablespoons parsley to the pan. If you like, drizzle the tops of the mushrooms with olive oil. Bake until the mushrooms are cooked through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Serve the mushrooms on a warmed platter or divide them among warmed plates. Pour the pan juices into a small saucepan and bring to a boil on top of the stove. Boil until lightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the juices over the mushrooms and serve immediately.