Slow-Roasted Stuffed Swiss Brown Mushrooms

I love mushrooms: could eat them every day! And love this recipe, adapted from one by Nino Zoccali, that I found in the September 2009 issue of the 'BBC Australian Good Food' magazine. Nino comments that he never peels the skins from mushroom caps "unless they are damaged or stained and (that) unlike many chefs (that he likes) to use the mushroom stems - as long as they're tender." Ah, great, I thought, before trying this recipe! Perhaps it's uncool, but I only peel mushrooms if the recipe persuades me of the need to do this, and I generally use the stems. As Nino says "I think they taste great." Some conversions: 15 grams = 1/2 ounce; 60 grams = 2 ounces; 80 grams = aproximately 3 ounces.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 8 slow-roasted stuffed swiss brown mushrooms

Ingredients

• 8  medium  swiss brown mushrooms
• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1  small  brown onions (for Australians) or 1  small yellow onion, finely chopped (for Americans)
• 1 -3  garlic clove, minced, depending on how much you like garlic
•  dried sage, a sprinkling, to taste (optional)
•  dried rosemary, a sprinkling, to taste (optional)
• 1⁄4 cup  coarse wholemeal  breadcrumbs (15 grams)
• 1⁄2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (60 grams)
• 1  cup  pecorino cheese, grated (80 grams)
•  sea salt, to taste
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1  sprig thyme, leaves only

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°-375°F/4-5 gas mark.
2. Remove stems from mushrooms and finely dice the stems; heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat; cook the diced stems and onion and roseemary and sage if using for 4 minutes, until softened, add the minced garlic and cook for another minute; transfer to a medium bowl to cool.
3. Stir in the breadcrumbs, walnuts and half of the pecorino; season with salt and pepper, to taste; spoon the onion/breadcrumb mixture into the mushroom caps.
4. Fit the mushroom caps into a baking pan and scatter with the remaining pecorino; bake for 25 minutes or until golden; scatter with the thyme sprigs and serve.