Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
24 large gourmet stuffing mushroom caps, stems removed and reserved brushed with damp towel
Salt and pepper
Stuffing:
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
3/4 pound sweet bulk Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, chopped
20 stems mushrooms, finely chopped
1 rib celery and green, leafy top from the heart of the stalk, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 box chopped frozen spinach (10 ounces), defrosted and squeezed dry
3 slices white bread, toasted and buttered, then chopped into small dice
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese (2 handfuls)
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 500°F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add EVOO, one turn of the pan, and mushroom caps and season caps with salt and pepper. Sauté caps for 5-7 minutes, until they are lightly browned and tender on the edges. Turn the caps up and let the juices drain away. Transfer the caps to a small nonstick baking sheet. Wipe out the skillet and return to the heat. Add a touch of EVOO, half a turn of the pan, and the sausage to the hot skillet. Brown and crumble the sausage for 3 minutes. In a food processor, pulse and chop the garlic, then add the mushroom stems and pulse to chop the mushroom stems. Add the celery, onion and red bell pepper to the mushrooms and pulse to chop. Remove the mixture from the processor and sauté the veggies and mushrooms over medium-high heat for another 3-5 minutes. Add dry, defrosted spinach and stir into stuffing. Add the chopped bread and cheese to the pan and toss stuffing until bread is moist and stuffing is combined, 2-3 minutes. Fill the caps with stuffing using a small scoop or large spoon. Place the caps in the hot oven and reduce the heat to 450°F. Bake 6-8 minutes to crisp the edges of stuffing and set stuffing in mushrooms. Transfer stuffed mushrooms to a serving plate.