Last month I wrote an article and recipe about Spinach-Stuffed Mushrooms and, in the blog, inferred I had a recipe for a pricier Crab-Stuffed Mushroom. A request was made for that crab-stuffed version and I'm happy to oblige. It's a wonderful finger food or side-dish, especially at this time of the year.

As many popular recipes, there are dozens of Crab-Stuffed Mushroom recipes to be found on-line. Most of the ingredients for the stuffing, however, are enrobed in cream cheese or loaded up with other cheeses. Tasty they may be, it seems a waste to have the crab flavor masked by the cheese.

There are many types of crab meat that would be suitable to use in this recipe. I selected refrigerated crab claw meat. If you're interested in learning more about the varieties of crab meat, I discuss this in a previous dinnerFeed recipe for Crispy Asian Crab Cakes. I must refine that second paragraph I wrote. I put a tiny. little sliver of Parmigianno Reggiano on one of these babies and it was scrumptious!

Yield: about 24 stuffing-sized (large) mushrooms Cost: apx. $15.00 Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound crabmeat 1 cup panko,divided 3 green onions, minced 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 3 tablespoons basil plus extra 3 large leaves for a chiffonade garnish 1 teaspoon tabasco 1 egg, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons dry white wine 1 teaspoon paprika 12 large fresh mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325˚. 2. Combine crabmeat, 1/2 cup panko, green onions, garlic, basil, tabasco a pinch of kosher salt and egg. Set aside. 3. In a large sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in paprika and white wine. Quickly sauté both sides of each mushroom, about one minute per side. Remove and reserve. 4. Add remaining panko to butter and stir. Toast about 1 minute allowing panko to absorb butter 5. Prepare a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place mushrooms on foil. Place about 1 heaping tablespoon crabmeat in each mushroom and top with toasted bread crumbs. 6. Bake until mixture is hot and mushrooms are just tender, about 10-12 minutes.