Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

Crab stuffed mushrooms only look difficult to make. A large tray with an army of mini-sized appetizers, each little soldier with a browned bubbling cheese crust only suggests that you’ve slaved over them for days. Really, the most work you’ve done is chop up some vegetables and spoon filling into some mushroom caps, my favorite kind of appetizer!

Ingredients

3 slices good-quality bacon, diced
24 medium sized mushroom caps, hollowed
2 cups fresh Dungeness crab meat (about 2 crab, cooked and cleaned)
⅓ cup cream cheese, softened
¼ cup heavy cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
1½ cups baby spinach, chopped
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
⅛ teaspoon hot chili sauce
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ cup fresh bread crumbs, crust removed and cut into ¼-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, finely grated
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

In a skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate.

Place mushroom caps, hollow side up, on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and heavy cream. Add garlic, shallots, spinach, 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire and chili sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Gently stir in diced bacon and crab.

In a small bowl, toss bread crumbs with the olive oil, 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff mushrooms by dividing crab filling evenly into each cap. Top with the crumbs, pressing lightly. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until heated through and topping is
golden. Serve immediately.

Makes 24

Variation
Feel free to substitute medium size shrimp in place of the crab.

©Copyright My Tiny Alaskan Oven