Stuffed Mushrooms with Crab, Spinach, Cream Cheese

Contains:  Dairy, seafood, nightshades.  Is:  An appetizer, gluten-free, primal, keto.  

I attended a culinary gathering on May 30th – our main focus is learning new techniques and developing skills, but this one was a more simple one, largely to get back together face to face, which we hadn’t done for a good long while now.   I offered to make two types of appetizers – this is one of them.  Due to the nature of the distance I drove, and knowing that it was unlikely we’d be eating as soon as we arrived (even with appetizers), I cooked this slightly differently than I would have, if served at home or if I only had to transport this ten minutes away.  You’ll get directions for both cases.

The mushrooms:  I used medium-large cremini mushrooms, about 1.5 or so inches in diameter.  (ie, about 3.5 cm or so.)  You can use similar white button mushrooms.

Breadcrumbs or panko are not needed in these, as the spinach basically serves as a binder.  

TO NOTE:  Many people have found stuffed mushrooms to become excessively watery.  To prevent this, we will pre-bake / roast our mushrooms prior to stuffing.  The water will remove itself from the mushrooms, and can be gently wiped dry within their interiors (where the stems were) with a paper towel.  Pre-baking/roasting will of course shrink down the size of the mushrooms as water vacates the premises.   

DID YOU KNOW:  White button, Cremini, and Portabella mushrooms are really all the same type of mushroom?  It is a color and size thing which determines how these are marketed.  

EXTRA STUFFING???  Makes an excellent cracker spread, as-is and un-cooked.  

Prep Time:  15 minutes – most prepping can be done while the unstuffed ‘shrooms are baking.
Cook Time:  Preliminary mushrooms:  12-15 minutes.  Stuffed:  Typically, 25 minutes.  (Longer if you stuff large portabellas.)
Rest Time:  Not Essential.
Serves:  About six people as an appetizer. 
Leftovers:  Up to two days later, reheat in oven or microwave. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 10-12 ounces / 300 g or so Cremini or White Button mushrooms, lightly wiped with a damp cloth to remove any dirt.  Remove stems after and reserve.  
• Approximately half of the reserved stems, coarsely crumbled.
• 4 ounces quality cream cheese.  
• 4 ounces crab meat (from a jar or can).  If you use, say, extra large portabella mushrooms, the ideal would be to use lump crabmeat, but for smaller mushrooms, use the more finely chopped crab meat.  
• 3-4 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed, and squeezed of water.  
• 4-5 ramp bulbs and stems, roots if any, removed.  Minced.  (reserve leaves for another recipe!!)  You may substitute with a peeled and minced shallot, about an ounce.  
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika.  (At your discretion, hot paprika may be used.)  You will adjust later for taste.  
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt.   You will adjust later for taste.  
• Ground black or rainbow peppercorns, start at 1/4 teaspoon.  
• OPTIONAL:  Hand-grated Pecorino Romano cheese, to top.  

METHOD:  

Pre-heat oven to 375 F.  

Place the de-stemmed mushrooms in one layer in a baking pan, what would be stem side down assuming they still had stems, and add a little olive oil to the exposed surface, using a paper towel or pastry/small grilling brush as desired.  Bake for about 10 minutes – up to 15 if large portabellas.  

Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients  (except any Pecorino Romano) together in a suitable bowl – I found using a hand to be most effective, especially in getting the cream cheese to cooperate.  

Pull the baked mushroom caps from the oven, and allow to cool slightly, or enough to handle.  Transfer these to the final baking dish, stem side up – there will be a lot of unnecessary (for stuffing purposes) liquid in the original pan.  

Taste the stuffing mixture, and adjust seasonings accordingly.  

Stuff the mushrooms!  Let them pile high and deep!  

1:  if you will serve immediately, top now with grated cheese, and bake at the same 375 degrees F for 25-30 minutes for medium to medium-large mushrooms – up to 40 minutes for full out portabellas.  

2: If there will be a delay in serving, don’t add the grated cheese just yet, but add just after you pull from the 350 F oven, before things cool down. Then, when you do serve, re-heat in an oven for ten more minutes, or in a microwave for about 3 – check for warmth.  (Longer for each implement if full scale portabellas.)

This recipe is shared with: 

• Full Plate Thursday.
• Fiesta Friday. Co-hosted by  Liz @ Spades, Spatulas & Spoons
• What’s for Dinner? Sunday link up #318 – The Lazy Gastronome