doing 'shrooms

I love grilling. I love mushrooms. I love Williams-Sonoma. So when my mom recently gave me WS's Appetizer Grill Rack, I was tickled! I broke it in yesterday, via some Sunday afternoon grilling. Top notch results, if I do say so myself.

STUFFED CREMINI MUSHROOMS
18 cremini mushrooms, each about 1 3/4 inches in diameter
2 oz. bacon, diced
3 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. dry white wine
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 1/2 Tbsp. sour cream
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 tsp. minced fresh sage
2 Tbsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
olive oil for brushing

Trim off the rough base of each mushroom stem, then remove the stems and chop finely, set aside.


In a fry pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.


Discard all but 1 Tbsp. of the fat from the pan. Add the shallot and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook until any moisture that has been released has evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute.


Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl. Add the bacon, bread crumbs, sour cream, parsley, sage, and cheese and stir to combine. Season with salt and black pepper.




Prepare a grill for indirect grilling over medium-high heat.


Brush the mushroom caps on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Place the caps, gill side down, on the Appetizer Grill Rack. Place the rack over direct heat, cover the grill and cook until the mushrooms begin to release some moisture, about 5 minutes.

Remove the rack from the grill, turn the mushrooms over and stuff each cap with 1 tsp. of the bacon-mushroom mixture. Place rack over indirect heat, cover the grill, and cook until the mushrooms are tender and the stuffing is golden and crisp on top, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Makes 18 stuffed mushrooms.


Tasty.


Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Colection Series, Hors d'oeuvre, by Brigit L. Binns (Simon & Schuster, 2001)