Sausage-stuffed mushrooms

Like Zach, I am a reformed mushroom-hater.  Along with shrimp and butternut squash, mushrooms were one of the foods I most assiduously avoided as a child, only to fall in love with as an adult.  They're substantial enough to substitute for meat in many cases, and strong-flavored enough to lend depth to a variety of cool-weather dishes.  And certain types of mushrooms--cremini and portobello, in particular--have hefty, inverted-cup caps that are perfect for stuffing.

Problem is, it's not always easy to get the flavor balance right.  Unlike milder vegetables like bell peppers (which merit a whole separate stuffing discussion), mushrooms are assertive enough that they sometimes overwhelm delicately-flavored grain-based stuffings.  And too often, recipes overcompensate by piling on breadcrumbs and cheese until the whole affair is leaden and soggy.

My favorite solution, ironically, was inspired by the prepared meals in the meat case at my local Safeway.  One weekend, while my boyfriend and I were looking for a quick and easy dinner, we noticed a display of portobello caps stuffed with sausage meat.  No fancy business, no breadcrumbs, no fillers.  We bought a couple, just to try--and I've been making stuffed mushrooms the same way ever since.

Of course, I prefer to prepare sausage-stuffed mushrooms from scratch, improving incrementally over the limp, greasy version in the Safeway case.  Make no mistake, this is not a light meal--you're essentially eating a solid mass of meat encased in vegetable--but with fresh mushrooms and high-quality sausage, it becomes a simple, almost sophisticated dish.  The brawny sausage holds up well to the mushrooms, without the heaviness of a carbohydrate filler, and pairs beautifully with a tangy vinaigrette-dressed salad or some simply steamed vegetables.

I've tried doing this a number of ways, with different-sized mushrooms and several varieties of sausage, and I've settled on a favorite combo.  The most recent time I made this dish, I used cremini mushrooms, which are essentially small portobellos, and I liked that they made a convenient portion size and lessened the sheer amount of meat on the plate.  I also particularly like sweet Italian sausage in this dish--usually I'm a spice fiend, but using something delicate and fairly light-flavored provides a nice contrast to the woodsy, earthy mushrooms.  Adding seasonings yourself--salt and pepper, of course, plus garlic powder or paprika if it's handy, and grated Parmesan if you're a cheese fiend like me--allows you to adapt the mild filling to your own tastes.

One thing to note: the mushrooms exude a fair amount of liquid as they cook, so use a deep-sided baking dish rather than a cookie sheet.  If you use a lighter, less-greasy sausage, you'll end up with a meaty, salty, fragrant elixir that's worth pouring off and saving.  Drizzle it into a pan with some corn kernels and olive oil and stir just until it coalesces, and you've got yourself a lovely, smoky-sweet side dish.

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms (serves 2 with leftovers, or 4-6 without)

2 large portobello mushrooms, or 6 large cremini mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp cloth or paper towel
3 links raw sweet Italian sausage (not cured or cooked)
Salt and pepper to taste, plus any other herbs or spices you like
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line a deep-sided baking dish with aluminum foil.  Stem the mushrooms (save the stems--they're edible, and great in soups).  Arrange mushroom caps, stem side up, on the bottom of the baking dish.

Make a shallow cut down the length of each sausage link to loosen the casing, then peel the casing off and discard.  Distribute sausage meat evenly among the mushrooms, then season with salt, pepper, and herbs.  Sprinkle with cheese, if using.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the sausage is thoroughly cooked.  Let cool 5 minutes, and serve.