Pecan Stuffed Mushroom Caps

I have a great stuffed mushroom recipe that uses a white sauce to create a thick, creamy filling that gets coated with breadcrumbs and really melts in your mouth. It also takes forever to make and time was something I did not have with such an ambitious party menu plan and busy work week!

So instead I came up with this stand in. I was able to make the filling early in the week and then throw the caps together when the first guests started to arrive. They were reminiscent of Thanksgiving stuffing and had a really nice crunch that paired with the soft texture of the mushrooms.

Apologies for the pictures... in my haste to just get everything on the table as everyone was already streaming in the door! Most items were photographed on the table, in the dark, after being picked over. Better late than never?


Pecan Stuffed Mushroom Caps

• 2 Large Packages of White Mushrooms
  
• 2 Stalks Green Onions, finely chopped
  
• 1 tsp. Thyme
  
• 1 tsp. Rosemary
  
• 1/2 C. Chopped Pecans
  
• Kosher Salt
  
• Parmesan Cheese

1. Pop mushrooms stems off of the caps, being careful to not damage the caps. You can use gentle pressure with your thumbs to separate the stem from the cap, but if you run into trouble, a paring knife or your CLEAN thumbnail can dig out any remaining pieces. Set aside the caps.
   
2. Chop the stems into small pieces.
   
3. Using either paper or cloth towels, press the stem pieces to remove as much moisture as possible.
   
4. In a small to medium saute pan with a small amount of oil, saute the green onions and mushrooms.
   
5. Add in the herbs and continue cooking mushrooms over medium heat until most of the moisture has cooked out. The mixture will reduce in size significantly and will smell FANTASTIC!
   
6. Stir in pecans. At this point, you can let the filling cool and store it for up to a week until final preparations.
   
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
8. Wash the mushroom caps and pat dry as best as possible. Arrange caps on a cookie sheet and lightly sprinkle the insides with the kosher salt.
   
9. Spoon a heaping mound of the filling into each cap. Grate a small amount of Parmesan cheese on each cap.
   
10. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Serve either warm or cold.