Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Just as we've all recovered from our tryptophan-induced food comas from Thanksgiving, I figured it was a good time to share the Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms I made for our appetizer.

I've made several different stuffed mushrooms over the years - some with sausage, others with crab, some with just cheese - but I've never before seen a recipe call for marinating the mushroom caps before stuffing them. Doing so made for a really tender, flavorful vegetable that held up to and complimented the rich stuffing mixture. It was an easy way to set these apart from others I've had.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 package extra-large white mushrooms, about 20 total
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. red wine - I used a Pinot Noir we had open
• 3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
• 6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2/3 C panko crumbs
• 6 oz. mascarpone cheese
• 1/3 C freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with the olive oil and wine. Set aside.
3. Spray a medium skillet with cooking spray and heat 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 cheese 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.
4. 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 for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.

Source: Ina Garten / Food Network