2011's Week #9 Winner: Monsters of the Manchego Mushroom Caps

Congrats to Matt Laurenitis who submitted his "Monsters of the Manchego Mushroom Caps" recipe! Yummo!

Monsters of the Manchego Mushroom Caps
By Matt Laurenitis

Ingredients:

20 large white mushrooms
1 Spanish chorizo about 4 ounces
1/3 cup of olive oil
1/3 cup of diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
3/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup of chicken stock
2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley
3/4 cup of coarsely grated Manchego cheese
5 strips of bacon
6 leaves fresh basil (for garnish)

Directions:
Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the chorizo into 1' pieces and pulse in a food processor; set aside. Cut the bacon into small bits; set aside. Remove the stems from the mushrooms. Mince up half of the stems. Brush the caps with some olive oil and set aside on a baking sheet. Pour the rest of the olive oil in a skillet and sauté the diced mushroom stems, onions and garlic over medium-high heat until soft; 2-3 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs and toss until golden brown. Spoon the mixture out of the pan and set aside. Add the chorizo and bacon to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes. Drain any excess grease if necessary. Add the breadcrumb mixture back to the pan. Add the chicken stock and parsley and fluff with a fork. Stir in the manchego cheese. Spoon the mixture into each mushroom cap, mounding over the top so each cap is nice and full. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until stuffing is golden brown. Garnish top with bit of chopped fresh basil. Enjoy!