101 Ways to Stuff a Mushroom…Starting with Blue Cheese & Bacon

It is hard to beat a stuffed mushroom. Wouldn’t you agree? They are so simple to make and the filling choices are limitless! Artichokes & chicken, olives & peppered cream cheese, pancetta & oregano, sausage & jalapeño, crab & ricotta, ham & swiss, sharp cheddar & sun-dried tomatoes, cheddar & taco meat, pepperoni & shallots, bacon & brie, pecans & parmesan, spinach & chive cream cheese, BBQ & cheesy grits. I think you get the point – infinite yummy possibilities.

For this particular mushroom filling, I chose the “Black & Blue”: theme. That’s right, black peppered bacon and blue cheese.

It is important to start with a great mushroom. By great, I mean:

• perfectly sized, not too big – not too small
• fresh ((yes please))
• clean ((is there any other kind?))

The particular variety is not as important as these three things. However, I most often find the Criminis ((aka – Baby Bellas)) and the Buttons dependably sized right. For this recipe, I chose Criminis.

On to the filling! I always start with a good quality whole milk ricotta; ricotta is a great binder. Blue cheese, chopped bits of oven roasted peppered bacon, finely chopped shallots & fresh parsley finish out the filling.

The topping is just as important as the filling. I simply hand mix a few tablespoons of melted butter, panko, parmesan, finely chopped fresh parsley and more chopped bacon. Heap the savory crumb topping generously over each stuffed cap – and now you are one step closer to mushroom heaven.

But wait! That’s not all ((spoken in the bet infomercial voice you can muster))!!! Combine equal parts dry white wine & heavy cream ((about 1/3 cup of each)) and a generous pinch of sea salt. Pour the liquid into the mushroom cap baking dish. What a nice bath for the stuffed mushroom.

Cover with foil & bake for approximately 20 minutes on 400°. Remove the foil and bake 5 more minutes in order to crisp the topping.

How easy in that?? Now, go forth and stuff mushrooms. 

Look how saucy these mushrooms become when baked! The cream, wine and extra fallen bits of the panko herb topping create a lovely  thick & delicious sauce. I am not sure what I love more – the creamy wine sauce or the stuffed mushroom. But hey – with this recipe – no need to pick a favorite, it is all yours!

**Please note: The above photo is of just 4 mushrooms – all hot and bubble fresh out of the oven. I decided to bake them in smaller batches because there is no way David and I could eat all 20 in one sitting. Unbaked, stuffed mushrooms will last up to a week in the refrigerator.