Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

I made this at Casey and Toinette's house and I need to thank Toinette for doing all the prep and the recipe. These delicious beauties are a great supplement to any meal or can be eaten as a meal unto themselves. They take 50 minutes from start to finish, feeds 4-6 people and costs about $10.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

2 Hot Italian sausages, uncased and chopped
1 Mild Italian sausage, uncased and chopped
1 package large baby bella mini portabello mushrooms, stemmed and scooped
1/2 cup mushroom stems, chopped
1 bunch scallions, peeled and chopped
1/4 white onion, diced
5 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tablespoon crushed macadamia nuts (walnuts or pignoli or no nuts are options)
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 oz creme fraiche
2 tablespoons of butter
1 handful fresh basil, chopped
4 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar

Start oven at 425.  Scoop mushrooms out with a teaspoon by holding the mushroom firmly cupped on all sides with your hand.  Once cleaned and scooped, start a large saute pan on medium heat, add olive oil and some butter.  Saute mushroom stems, onions, scallions, and garlic until softened, about 10 minutes.  Turn up heat to medium high add sausage to the pan.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until sausage is cooked. Remove from heat and fold in panko, nuts, creme fraische, basil and remaining butter plus salt and pepper.  Let stand 5 minutes.

Put mushroom caps in a large glass baking dish.  Sprinkle with sherry wine vinegar, salt and pepper.  Then scoop filing into the mushrooms.  Press it in and over stuff them a bit, top with a bit of bread crumbs and some extra virgin olive oil.  Place in oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden.  Remove and let stand 5 minutes. Buon apetito!

Lobster and Crab Roll

I put a little twist on this classic summer sandwich.  We had to kick off the summer with a BBQ and this was a great appetite starter.  I made 16 rolls and had plenty of left overs, so you can make the recipe for half the amount.  This recipe feeds 8-12 costs $60 and takes about 1.5 hours.

1 - 4 lb lobster, steamed and meat removed
1 - 1lb jumbo lump crab, picked thru for shells
8 ramps, thin sliced (shallots are a good substitute)
1.5 sticks premium butter
6oz creme fraiche
1 teaspoon fresh marjoram
salt and white pepper
16 split top hot dog buns

Start a medium saucepan on medium low heat.  Cook ramps for 10 minutes in 1 tablespoon of butter until softened.  Add remaining butter and creme fraiche until melted together.  Add marjoram, slat and pepper and then fold in chopped up lobster meat and lump crab.  Let simmer 10 minutes stir very gently and then turn off the heat.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Spoon meat into toasted rolls and serve with a lemon wedge.  Buon apetito!