Shelly's Recipe

ITALIAN SAUSAGE STUFFED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS WITH HERB PARMESAN CREAM SAUCE

Category: Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffing
4 large portobello mushrooms, stems & gills removed
1 lb Italian sausage
1 tsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup garlic croutons, finely ground
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs

Sauce
2 cups heavy cream
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (2 tsp dry)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Clean top of mushrooms with damp cloth. Place cleaned mushrooms on a sheet tray, stem side down. Bake at 350 for 5-8 minutes. Remove from oven until ready to stuff, in step 4 below.

Stuffing: Brown sausage in a nonstick skillet, crumbling sausage into small pieces. Once browned, drain fat and transfer to a paper towel to cool.

Beat eggs with milk in a medium bowl, then mix in parsley, basil, garlic, croutons, and Parmesan cheese. Add cooled sausage and mix well -- mixture should be wet but firm and hold together easily. Top prebaked mushroom caps with sausage mixture and bake at 350 for 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked throughout.

Sauce: Heat cream in sauce pan and lightly boil until half its original volume, being careful not to scorch. Mix in Parmesan cheese, basil, salt and pepper. Spoon 2 oz of sauce over top of each mushroom. Garnish with a sprig of fresh Italian parsley or fresh basil and serve.