Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

20 white button or cremini mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 to 5 cloves)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or thyme, see notes for parsley
2 ounces shredded cheese like sharp cheddar or mozzarella
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (use panko or regular breadcrumbs)
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives for serving, optional

Recipe

Let's kick things off with a classy little starter to get you in the mood for your main course.
You're going to want to heat your oven to 190C.

Now grab a damp paper towel, and brush all the dirt from mushrooms. Remove the mushroom stems. Cut away and discard any hard bits of the stems then finely mince them.

Add the mushroom caps to a rimmed baking sheet or large oven-safe skillet that fits the mushrooms in one layer. Toss them with a tablespoon of olive oil and lightly season with fresh ground black pepper. Arrange them cavity-side-up so that they are ready to be stuffed.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and chopped mushroom stalks, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions smell sweet and are soft. Add the garlic and herbs, then cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Scrape mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool.

Add the breadcrumbs to the same skillet that the onions and mushrooms were cooked in. Place them over medium-low heat, and then cook, stirring, until they are lightly toasted.

Stir the cheese into the onions and garlic mixture then divide the filling between the mushroom caps. Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs on top. Bake the mushrooms until the cheese has melted and the mushrooms have softened; 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with chopped fresh herbs and a bit of fresh ground black pepper on top.