Sausage Stuffed Mushroom Caps

This recipe is from Episode 1 of This Food That Wine

Wine Suggestion: Pinot Noir

Yield: 20 caps

Ingredients

• ½ pound spicy sausage meat (8oz)
• ½ red pepper, diced very finely
• ½ yellow pepper, diced very finely
• ½ cup red onion, finely chopped (125ml)
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (30ml)
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced (15ml)
• ½ cup soft cream cheese, room temperature (125ml)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 20 medium-sized button mushrooms, cleaned with stems removed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (15ml)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
2. Warm a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the sausage meat to the skillet and allow it to brown for 3 minutes. Add the peppers and onions to the pan and continue to cook until the sausage is brown on the outside but still slightly pink.
3. Remove the skilled from the heat and pour the mixture in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, to allow the mixture to drain and cool. Discard the bowl of fat drippings.
4. Once the meat has cooled, place it in a clean bowl and stir in the basil, chives and cream cheese stir until the mixture evenly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Place the mushroom caps in a large bowl and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Arrange mushroom caps in a non stick baking pan round side down. Spoon approximately 2 teaspoons (10ml) of the sausage mixture into each cap.
6. Put mushroom caps into the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden brown.
7. Remove caps from oven and place them on a paper towel lined baking tray to remove any excess fat. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Wine Pairing

Description: Pinot Noir can range from light and tart to full bodied and smooth. This Pinot Noir is made in California in a warm climate, which means the wine is on the fuller side, with sweet raspberry aromas and flavours, and a hint of earthiness, which is a typical Pinot Noir characteristic. It is very low in tannin, which means it feels smooth in your mouth.

Pairing: Mushrooms and Pinot Noir are a perfect pairing. The earthiness of the Pinot Noir complements the earthiness of the mushrooms, and the fruity flavours contrast and clean your palate after the spicy sausage.

Wine Suggestion: try a Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara, California