Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
| 1½ | pounds fresh mushrooms, 1‑inch diameter caps |
| 1 | pound fresh Italian sausage |
| 1 | minced onion |
| 3 | large cloves minced garlic |
| ½ | teaspoon crushed fennel seed |
| 1 | teaspoon dry leaf oregano |
| 2 | teaspoons or more ground red chili powder |
| good grind of black pepper | |
| ½ | teaspoon salt |
| 1 | teaspoon sugar |
| good dash Tabasco Sauce (optional) | |
| 1 | cup fine dry bread crumbs (unseasoned) |
| sherry, white wine, or chicken stock | |
Remove and chop the mushroom stalks. Set aside caps. Sauté the stalks in a couple tablespoons of butter till tender. Chop fine and set aside.
In a heavy frying pan, gently brown the Italian sausage. Add the onion, garlic and seasonings, and continue to sauté until the onion is transparent. Add the bread crumbs and mushroom stems. Add enough sherry, white wine, or chicken stock to make a paste out of the mixture.
Fill the mushroom caps with a small wad of the stuffing. Dip the stuffed mushrooms in melted butter and drain. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, let mushrooms come to room temperature and put in hot oven for a couple minutes until hot and beginning to sizzle a bit. A microwave also works well. Serve immediately.