"Sausage" Stuffed Mushrooms – A Vegetarian Version

Let me start by saying, on behalf of all those affected by the recent massive storm to hit the east coast, and my enormous reader base spanning coast to coast (ok so there’s only about 50 of you): “Screw you, Superstorm Sandy.”

I've wanted to make sausage stuffed mushrooms for a while but decided to made a modification to this recipe to a.) make it healthier and b.) please my vegetarian followers. I replaced the sausage with Morningstar Farms Griller Recipe Crumbles. As a carnivore, I’d be lying if I thought they wouldn't be better and more decadent using real sausage, but these were amazing. And the fact that this version was healthy helped me avoid feeling guilty about polishing these all off while we were stuck inside because of Sandy; ok, so just a bit less guilty. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:
- 16 extra-large white mushrooms
- 5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry
- 3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings (In place of this I used a bag of Morning Star Farms Grillers Recipe Crumbles (http://www.morningstarfarms.com/morningstar-farms-meal-starters-grillers-recipe-crumbles.html)
- 6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2/3 cup panko crumbs
- 5 ounces mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala. Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.

Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the stuffing for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/sausage-stuffed-mushrooms-recipe/index.html

About Me: http://zacksmithishungry.blogspot.com/2012/09/about-me.html