03/12/2003

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing on mushrooms
¾ cup finely chopped onion
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
3 to 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
8 ounces cooked shrimp, finely chopped, or shredded crab meat
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
4 ounces goat cheese
1 ½ ounces cream cheese
Cayenne pepper and salt to taste
20 medium mushrooms, stems removed (either cremini or white)

Directions:

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add basil and sauté a minute longer. Transfer to a medium bowl; mix in remaining ingredients except for mushrooms. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Lightly brush outside of mushroom caps with oil. Mound the shrimp-cheese filling into each mushroom, pressing to keep filling intact (can be made 6 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated).

Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake mushrooms until tender and filling begins to brown, about 25 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 20 small mushrooms.

Note: As an alternative to stuffed mushrooms, you can put the filling in a baking dish and heat for 20 minutes; serve as a dip with toasted pita triangles, French bread slices, crackers, melba toast or bagel chips.

PER MUSHROOM: Cal 73 (63% fat) Fat 5 g (2 g sat) Trace fiber Chol 31 mg Sodium 97 mg Carb 2 g Calcium 69 mg

SOURCE: Tina Danze / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News