Spanakopita-Stuffed Mushrooms

Creating a menu for a Greek cooking program resulted in this really tasty dish. These had the savouriness of a Greek spinach pie with the added earthiness of the minced mushroom stems - a winning combination. Could be used as an appetizer or side (to a nice piece of meat - I had fillet on the menu), or even a hearty, vegetarian main, if using the larger portobellos.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

• 10 -12  medium portabella mushrooms
• 1 1⁄2 cups  finely sliced leeks
• 1  lb frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1  large garlic clove, minced
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons  minced fresh dill
•  salt and pepper
• 1  egg, beaten to blend
• 4  ounces feta cheese, crumbled

• Bechamel Sauce

• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons butter
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 1 1⁄2 cups milk
•  salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  grated nutmeg

Directions

1. Clean the portobellos with a dampened paper towel. Remove the stems and mince them.
2. Lightly coat medium saute pan with a film of olive oil. Add leeks and the minced mushroom stems and saute over medium heat until wilted, about 10 minutes. Add spinach, garlic and dill and season with a VERY light amount of salt (remember, the feta will add more salt later) and pepper. Cook a further 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. While cooling make bechamel sauce.
3. Preheat oven to 410F (210C). Oil a pan large enough to hold the mushrooms.
4. Bechamel Sauce: Melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat. When melted, add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 2-3 minutes. If flour looks like it's starting to brown, remove from heat and continue whisking for time stated. Add milk, a dash of salt to taste and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and boil for 2 minutes, until thick.
5. Add 4 tblsps of the bechamel sauce to the spinach mixture, along with the beaten egg and the crumbled feta and mix well.
6. Brush the mushrooms with oil and fill the cavities with equal amounts of the spinach filling, flattening the tops of the mounds slightly. Give the bechamel sauce a whisk if it has started to develop a 'crust' and dollop equal amounts of the bechamel over each mushroom (do not worry if the bechamel doesn't dribble down sides at this point - it will during baking).
7. Place mushrooms in bottom third of preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. The bechamel should start to get brown patches on it - if it's browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
8. Enjoy!