Recipe: Stuffed mushrooms

This is based on a starter I had once in Paris, and is quintessential simple bistro food.  It’s particularly good during the mushroom season, when unusual mushrooms are available.  The plums need to be quite ripe, and the cheese needs to be a soft but firm blue - good examples include Morbier, Gorgonzola or a hard Stilton.  The beauty of this starter is that the filling can be made in advance and kept in the fridge, until needed.  For a vegetarian version, simply omit the bacon.  Serves 2 as a starter.

Ingredients

4 Portobello mushrooms

1 shallot - very finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic - minced or very finely chopped

A handful (4 or 5) mushrooms of another type (e.g. chestnut, button or closed cup) - finely chopped

2 plums - stoned and finely chopped

Approx 50 g blue cheese - finely chopped

Approx 50 g Parmesan cheese - grated

A handful of flat-leaf parsley - finely chopped

Bunch of watercress

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method

Add a generous splash of olive oil to a small frying pan, and fry the shallot and garlic for a few minutes until soft

Add the chopped mushrooms and the plums, and fry for another few minutes

Remove from the heat, and stir in the blue cheese and the parsley.  Season to taste

Remove the stalks from the Portobello mushrooms, by snapping them out.  Remove the gills, by scraping them out with a spoon.  Peel and wipe with kitchen roll, but DO NOT WASH!

Place the Portobello mushrooms in a large oven dish, then cover each one with the filling.  Cover with Parmesan.  Bake in a preheated oven (200°C conventional / 180° fan / gas mark 4) for 15 minutes.  Serve on a bed of watercress