classic for a reason … Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Oh Thanksgiving! I love Thanksgiving. It’s the only holiday that is solely dedicated to eating. How great is that? Secondarily, I would say enjoying time with family is maybe a bit more important and watching a few football games is up there too but no other holiday has such focus on food. It is the best day of the year for that very reason. The menu is fairly set – turkey and stuffing of course and cranberries, mashed potatoes and gravy. From there we’ve got some leeway – sweet potatoes probably, some kind of green vegetable is nice and then probably pumpkin pie for dessert. Anything beyond that is up for discussion but we all pretty much know. Where there is really room to stretch is with the appetizers. With the exception of family traditions, there’s no set ideas here. You need something to start the day, welcome your guests, take the edge off and lay a base for the delights to come. Appetizers.

I don’t usually host Thanksgiving so appetizers and desserts are usually my contributions. For snacks, I’ve done all kinds of things – cheese puffs, baked brie, cheeseballs (notice a theme here?), charcuterie spreads, bacon wrapped dates. Out of everything, the one I’ve always had a soft spot for is stuffed mushrooms. A good stuffed mushroom is always welcome so this year, I’m bringing a sausage stuffed version to the party.

There are a couple things to keep in mind when making a good stuffed mushroom. Or hold up for a second, let’s discuss first what a good mushroom shouldn’t be: bland, mushy, soggy. The good news is this is three things that are really easy to avoid. First and most importantly, find some good, fresh mushrooms – no slimy, past their prime specimens please. As a mushroom ages, the “veil” will start to retract from the stem and expose the gills so look for mushrooms that are smooth, not overly moist or slimy and have a tight covering around the stem. And look for a good sized too – not too small. You want to stuff a good amount of filling in these things. I’d go for too big over too small given the choice.

To avoid a bland filling, a highly seasoned breadcrumb stuffing is key; not too moist as to become soggy but not too dry as to taste like sawdust. For just the right texture, the mushrooms should be dry roasted – resist the temptation to add liquid to the pan. It may seem like a good idea but alas, it is not unless you like drippy, slippery appetizers. A nice steady heat and a dry pan for a relatively long period of time will do the trick.

While I’ve done these so many different ways, my favorite filling contains Italian sausage, onions, garlic and parmesan mixed with panko breadcrumbs. I greatly prefer panko to a finer breadcrumb – better texture, better overall flavor. Those fine breadcrumbs always taste and feel like dust to me. No dice. I also like to chop up the stems and add them to the mix for additional flavor as it seems a shame to waste them. There’s an infinite amount of room for variety here. If you prefer bacon to sausage, use that. Pecorino over parmesan, alright. If your mushrooms are really fresh and those skins are tight against the stems, trim them back to expose the gills and make a larger opening to hold more of the filling (see below). Get as much filling into each mushroom as possible.

Roast them off early then serve at room temperature or pop back into the oven for a few minutes to warm through. They’re the perfect bite to start the day, fit into any menu, go great with beer or wine and please all palates. They’re classic for a reason.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: THE PERFECT START. The holidays present all kinds of challenges in terms of food preparation, especially if you’re the one doing all the work. These are one of those things where you can do all the prep a day or two ahead – clean the mushrooms, make the filling – then stuff and roast in the morning before the turkey goes in. Easy.

other Thanksgiving appetizer ideas: Spicy Seeded Parmesan Straws, Baked Brie with Savory Fig Jam, Port Wine Cheese Log, Southern Cheese Straws, Bacon Cheddar Gougeres, Rumaki (chicken livers and water chestnuts wrapped in bacon), My Party Cheeseball, Savory Salami and Cheese Bread, Bacon Wrapped Dates, Cranberry Pecan Harvest Crisps, Spiced Pecans, Parmesan Black Pepper Crackers, Parmesan Pea Dip, Prosciutto Stuffed Figs, Cotija Cumin Shortbread, Radishes, Butter, Sea Salt, Seeded Crackers, Squash & Onion Tart
Eight years ago: Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Seven years ago: Blue Cheese Dressing with a Wedge Salad
Six years ago: Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Five years ago: Kale & Squash Salad
Four years ago: Maple Bourbon Carrots
Three years ago: Baked Brie with Savory Fig Jam
Two years ago: Spicy Seeded Parmesan Straws
Last year: French Apple Pie

SAUSAGE STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Makes 18 mushrooms, serves 6
Deglazing the sauté pan with a little wine – red, white or my favorite, marsala – is an easy way to add a subtle layer of flavor and acidity but if you don’t want to use alcohol, a little chicken stock works too.

18 large white button mushrooms
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ small onion, finely diced
6 ounces bulk hot or mild Italian sausage
1 garlic clove, finely minced
kosher salt
2 Tablespoons marsala, dry red or white wine (or chicken stock)
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
3 Tablespoons grated parmesan
1 Tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1. For the filling: remove and coarsely chop stems from mushrooms, reserving caps. Set aside.
2. Heat a large, deep, skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Crumble the sausage into the hot pan, breaking up with a spoon to very small pieces (a potato masher works perfectly for this). Continue until cooked through.
4. Remove the cooked sausage with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving any fat in the pan.
5. Reheat the pan over medium-high and add the olive oil.
6. Add the onion, season with a good pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the chopped mushroom stems and continue to sauté until mushrooms are soft and the mixture is dry, about another 5 minutes.
8. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
9. Add the cooked sausage back to the pan and slowly add the marsala, wine or chicken stock.
10. Cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in breadcrumbs.
11. Set aside to cool, then add parmesan and parsley. Mix thoroughly.
12. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.
13. Clean the mushrooms: if the mushroom skin/covering is tightly covering the gills, trim it back with a sharp knife to expose the gills and create more room for stuffing (see the photo above). The mushrooms can be cleaned and refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days ahead.
14. To roast: preheat oven to 375°F and line a sheet pan with foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
15. Place the mushroom caps in a single layer (round side down) on the prepared pan.
16. Spoon the filling mixture into caps, packing down lightly, and bake until golden, 30-45 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is golden brown and crispy. Check in the final 15 minutes and cover with foil if they’re browning too quickly.
17. Serve warm or room temperature.
18. Do ahead: the mushrooms can be cleaned and the filling made up to 2 days ahead. Stuff just before roasting.

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