Savory little stuffed mushrooms are usually a hit at any type of function and are all but limitless in the variations. Once you've decided what to stuff your mushroom with, it's all a matter of knowing how long to cook them in order to offer up a tasty treat.
Preparing the mushroom
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The first thing you're going to want to do--and this is a good practice for any produce item--is to wash the mushrooms in cool water. Use a soft brush to make sure all of the dirt and chemicals are removed from the skin of the mushrooms. Pat them dry when you are finished. To prepare a mushroom for stuffing, according to the St. Louis Today website, simply remove the stem. Other chefs add to the room of the mushroom cap by gently scraping at the inside of the cap and enlarging the cavity there.
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Waste not, want not
Don't let the stem--and scraped mushroom bits, if you went that route--go to waste. Include them in your stuffing recipe for added mushroom flavor.
Stuffing the mushroom
The varieties of stuffing are only limited by your imagination. Combine cheese, breadcrumbs and the mushroom stems with some pepper and salt and pulse in a blender for a very basic stuffing. Throw in some sausage or some crab meat for something a bit more exotic. Once the ingredients you've chosen are mixed together, simply use a spoon to fill the cavity of the mushroom cap and then gently pack the stuffing down with your finger. Your stuffing can heap over the top of the mushroom, if you'd like. Once the mushroom is stuffed, place it cap-side down on a baking tray.
Baking the stuffed mushrooms
You'll want a preheated oven at 350 degrees F to put the baking tray into. Once the mushrooms are in the oven, wait 15 to 18 minutes. The mushrooms will be tender and the filling will be hot when they are ready.
Get creative
Just because you've baked it doesn't mean the mushroom is ready yet. If you want, add some mozzarella cheese for the last 4 minutes of baking and add a twist to your stuffed mushrooms. Or wait until the mushrooms are out of the oven and do what some of the folks over at ChowHound.com do: add some feta or goat cheese.