Garlic-Stuffed Mushrooms
Submitted by stephanie22
Garlic stuffed mushrooms with pecans, parmesan, and a folded-in roasted garlic bechamel, baked hot until the filling sets and the tops blush with cayenne.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
45 minCOOK
30 minREADY
80 minThis is stuffed mushroom territory taken seriously. Instead of the usual cream cheese mix, the caps here are filled with a sauteed mushroom-stem hash bound by a proper garlic bechamel made with the puree from three roasted heads. Pecans and parmesan add crunch and salt. A whisper of cayenne over each cap gives a faint heat on the finish.
The parboil step on the caps is what separates this version from soggy buffet mushrooms. Three minutes in barely-simmering water firms them so they hold shape under the filling without going limp in the oven. Blot them aggressively dry before stuffing, or the bechamel turns soupy.
Make the bechamel a day ahead. It keeps in the fridge with plastic right on the surface to stop a skin from forming. Thin with a splash of milk to bring it back to scoopable consistency before you assemble.
Pro Tips
- Choose medium caps, all the same size, so they bake evenly
- Don’t skip blotting the parboiled caps; surface water is the enemy of a crisp filling
- Mound the filling slightly above the rim, the toasty top is the textural reward
- Roast the garlic heads ahead and squeeze the cloves out like toothpaste; mash with a fork before adding
Variations
- Sub walnuts for pecans, or pine nuts for a lighter top
- Use gruyère in place of parmesan for a nuttier, melty finish
- Stir in finely chopped spinach with the mushroom stems for a green note
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 450℉ (230℃).
Clean the mushrooms.
Remove the stems and reserve.
Parboil the mushrooms in just enough water to cover, for 3 minutes, until barely cooked.
Drain well, blot with paper towels, and set aside until needed.
If the tip of the stems seem woody, trim them away.
Chop stems coarsely.
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet.
Toss the chopped mushrooms stems and scallions.
Sauté until tender and most of the mushroom juices have evaporated.
Toss in the pecans, pecans, bred crumbs, parmesan cheese, and remaining tablespoon of butter.
Stir until the butter is melted and absorbed.
Stir in the garlic bechamel.
Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Stuff each mushroom cap with the mixture, mounding it neatly over the top.
Sprinkle each with some cayenne pepper.
Put stuffed mushrooms in a lightly oiled, shallow baking dish .
Bake for 10 minutes or until heated through.
Serve at once.
GARLIC BECHAMEL: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and whisk in the flour.
Let this roux cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes.
Whisk in the scalded milk.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cook gently, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add salt and pepper and whisk in the garlic puree.
Remove from the heat.
Beat the egg in a bowl.
Beat some of the sauce into the egg.
Next beat the egg mixture back into the garlic sauce.
Taste and correct seasonings.
Store in the refrigerator, with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface of the sauce, until needed.
Thin with milk before using if necessary.
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