sweet potato stuffed shrooms
20 crimini mushrooms
TT salt and black pepper
1 large sweet potato
1/4c heavy cream
1tsp chopped thyme
1tsp chopped rosemary
7tbsp butter
2 cloves of garlic
¼ of a sweet onion
1/2lb spicy Italian sausage
1/4tsp cayenne
1/4c parmesan (plus some for topping)
4tbsp Italian breadcrumbs
AN mascarpone (optional)
ingredients
yield: 10 servings
cook time: 1 hour
course: appetizer
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crimini mushrooms stuffed with a sweet and creamy potato mash, herby browned butter, and crumbles of spicy Italian sausage
1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl, add your breadcrumbs and 1tsp of salt, then stir to combine. Set aside.
3. Chop your rosemary and thyme, then melt 5 tablespoons of butter in a lightly-colored saute pan. Add the herbs, then swirl the butter around constantly for 3-5 minutes or until the milk solids separate and turn golden brown. Pour into a bowl to cool.
4. Mince your garlic and onion, then melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until they’re soft and fragrant, then add your italian sausage to brown. Set aside.
5. Peel and cube your sweet potatoes and add them to a large pot of cold water. Set the pot over high heat to bring to a boil. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender.
6. Meanwhile, clean your mushrooms. If they’re dirty, wipe them with a damp paper towel as opposed to rinsing them under water. Twist the stem to remove it, then scoop out the inner flesh (or gills) with a small spoon. Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet.
7. Use a potato masher or ricer to mash your sweet potatoes to your desired consistency. (A smooth potato puree is not entirely necessary here.) Fold in your browned butter and slowly drizzle in your cream. Season with salt to taste.
8. Add the sausage, cayenne, and freshly grated parmesan to your potatoes. Fold to combine and season to taste. Fill your mushroom caps using a spoon and try to mound the filling as high as you can. Top with breadcrumbs and more parmesan then bake for 20-25 minutes.
9. Serve warm with mascarpone and garnish with thyme leaves.
process
about the recipe
This stuffed mushroom recipe is very straightforward, can be prepped in advance, and makes a killer appetizer. I get it, but I feel sorry for people who don’t like mushrooms, especially while I’m chowing down on these.
I love a low stakes mashed potato too. I honestly get really stressed out making mashed potatoes because in my mind something so simple has to come out perfect, but there are so many ways to mess them up. Boiling them to just the right consistency; making sure they don’t dry out too much; getting the perfect texture without over mixing. It’s just too much. But these can have lumps because the sausage will distract from them and they can be a little dry because the mushrooms are so wet. They’re so low stakes!!
The mascarpone is optional, but highly encouraged. I’m a big proponent of adding something creamy to every dish, so this is that something creamy. It works surprisingly well with the sweetness brought by the sweet potatoes and the subtle heat brought by the sausage and cayenne.
The fact that every family that celebrates has its own version of Christmas Day staples has always fascinated me. Traditions vary from household to household, often expressed most clearly through the foods served that day. In my family, Christmas breakfast was always scrambled eggs, biscuits, cheesy grits, and bacon. Lunch was skipped entirely because we ate breakfast at noon. Dinner came later, and included a big pot of gumbo and an assortment of appetizers, always including stuffed mushrooms.
I hope you and yours enjoy this recipe very much. Happy Holidays!