I suspect just pressing or spinning the water out of the wilted spinach will prevent the watery end result. You won't lose much taste. And adding a bit of flour when you saut� the garlic and stem? Sounds like a good application for lardons, too.

I always add some dried bread crumbs (like from a stuffing package, if I have some left over)- but fresh would be okay - and prefer a cheese like feta with a little fresh parmesan or romano for a little more flavor. Oh, and I also use some onion in the saute, green onion is fine, or some finely chopped bigger onion. I never saute the caps themselves; some of the moisture from the spinach will soften them as they cook and they will absorb it - I like them meaty, not too soft.

The recipe sounds delicious as you made it. I'd just change the technique somewhat.

1. Cook the mushroom caps (with stems removed to use in the filling as you did) stem side up on high in the microwave until somewhat soft. Lots of juice would collect in the caps and I'd pour it off to use in something else later in the week** and then let the caps drain stem side down on paper towels until ready to stuff them.
2. Parcook the spinach in the microwave, cool slightly, and then squeeze the water out into the same container as the mushroom liquid. I'd only cook it long enough to release the liquid; then add the drained spinach back into the garlic/mushroom mixture.
3. If you want a quichelike texture, try baking them uncovered so the eggs don't become steamed. You could probably up the temp to 375 since all components except the eggs are already cooked and shorter baking time would limit additional liquid release.

**Added to some chicken broth, the mushroom and spinach juices would be good ladled over cooked tortellini with sliced scallions and grated cheese on top.

Lars:
The recipe sounds good.
Maybe you could use the Stems, as you did the Aparagus Sauce you made before.
Then add it to the Spinach.

I would drain the Spinach first.
Add some filler as you said, to dry it a little.

Take the foil of a little sooner, when baking.

Whenever I cook Spinach, I add some Powdered Garlic also.
Plus I add some chopped up lunchmeat,Cooked Salami or pieces of Pepperoni.

LOU

Thanks, everyone! I like Ruthanna's idea of microwaving the mushrooms and then pouring off some of the liquid from that. I think the extra liquid came from the mushrooms because the spinach was pretty dry when I took it from the saute pan. I also think the baking temp could be increased and I should have started it uncovered.

Marianne specifically said that a melting cheese should be used and suggested mozzarella as an alternative, but the Fontina was great! The mushroom caps had so much flavor that they did not need a sharp cheese, and so I think I'll stick with the Fontina, as it does not compete with the mushrooom flavor.

I loved this recipe and felt that it was worth experimenting with. Basically, it was extremely easy to make, even though I used more than five ingredients. I'm also going to have to remember to use the drained spinach and mushroom juices - I hate to pour them out when they have such a great flavor. I frequently make omelets with spinach, cheese (usually Provolone), mushrooms, onion, and turkey bacon (DB won't eat pork :(), and I generally have spinach/mushroom juice leftover from when I saute them. In the past, I've just drunk the juice (I can't bring myself to pour it out), but I think I'll start saving it for pasta dishes now!

Lou, I do not have any powdered garlic, but I do have a huge garland of garlic that I ordered from Gilroy, and so I need to use that for my garlic. I usually add mushrooms when I am cooking spinach, and I would also add prosciutto if DB would eat it. I bought some really good dry Italian salami at Bristol Farms that would be good also, but I've been using that only on my personal lunch sandwiches.

BTW, Marianne also has some good eggplant recipes. I was trying to tell someone at work about those today and could only remember the word Melanzane instead of eggplant. It's an easier word for me to remember.

Lars

Here is a link that might be useful: Marianne's recipe from Ciao Italia!

I think you need to omit covering the mushrooms when baking them....evaporate the moisture
Here's a recipe I have used lots and lots for stuffed mushrooms....no spinach but blue cheese instead....perhaps the method will give you ideas.

Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound fresh mushrooms ( medium size)
1/4 c. butter
3 green onions
1/2 c finely grated fresh bread crumbs
3 T crumbled Maytag Blue Cheese
1 T minced fresh parsley
1T lemon juice
1/2 t salt
Wipe mushrooms and remove stems. Chop stems and green onions ( tops too!) and saute in the butter until just getting soft. Add crumbs, cheese, parsley, lemon juice and salt. Place in mushroom caps in a shallow baking dish, sprinkle with paprika, Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 450, and watch them disappear.

Linda, I will try your recipe as it is for stuffed medium mushrooms. It's similar to the stuffed mushrooms I had made before, but I don't have that recipe any more. I have Italian parsley in my yard right now, and so this is a good time. Plus lemons are getting ripe again.

Lars

Just a thought . . . I have a similar recipe and I add chopped sundried tomatoes to it. That might absorb some of the liquid. I rehydrate them a bit first though, since the ones I buy are usually super dry.

Exactly as ruthanna said.

I also do something similar to lpinkmountain, except I use tomato powder.

Another thing I do, I use garlic powder.

dcarch

When I have extra liquid that is very flavorful, my first inclination is to reduce it and use it in the dish. Personally I'd saute your garlic and then add the juices from the spinach and mushrooms and cook the garlic in the juices until it reduces to almost gone. It means changing the order of a few of your steps but I think the end result would be great.

If you want the filling to souflee, you're going to have to lighten it a bit, think quiche or fritatta technique. Lightly beat eggs, add cream / Half & Half, stir in well drained spinach mixture and use to fill mushroom caps. Also bake uncovered at 400. Flavor profile sounds yummy though.

Steve

The flavor profile was great, and the portobello mushrooms had a fantastic flavor - very intense and almost meaty with a very good texture. I'm hoping that when I make the changes that the mushrooms will come out the same way.

I won't be adding cream or half & half, as that would upset my stomach - the soft cheese is difficult enough for me to handle! When I raise the tempurature of the oven, I'll have to keep a close eye on them, especially if I bake them at 400. I might try that, if you think it will make the filling rise faster. I might make it again this week-end, but I'm seriously considering buying frozen spinach - just to have on hand.

Lars

That is a lot of cheese, especially if you have problems. What if you sub'ed a similar volume of soft tofu for texture and moisture, and just enough grated aged/hard cheese for flavor, like Parmesan? I understand aged cheeses have a lot less lactose than the younger softer cheeses. And I would definately use frozen spinach just to better control the moisture.

Steve

I use this recipe from the Hungry Girl. I love it.
Stuffed 'n Squashed Mushroom Foil Pack

2011 Hungry Girl. All Rights Reserved.

yield:
2 servings

Level:
Easy

Ingredients

2 wedges light spreadable Swiss cheese (recommended: The Laughing Cow Light), room temperature
1 zucchini, ends removed, finely diced
2 large portabella mushrooms, stems chopped and reserved
1 teaspoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash ground thyme
Black pepper
1/2 tablespoon reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine cheese wedges, zucchini, chopped mushroom stems, onion, garlic, salt, and thyme. Add pepper, to taste. Mix until smooth. Set aside.

Lay a large piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet. Lightly spray both sides of the mushroom caps with olive oil nonstick spray, and place next to each other on the foil with the rounded sides down. Spoon veggie-cheese mixture into the mushroom caps-there will be a lot, so pack it in!

Sprinkle with grated topping.

Place another large piece of foil over the caps. Fold together and seal all four edges of the two foil pieces, forming a well-sealed packet.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until mushrooms are tender.

Allow the packet to cool for a few minutes, and then cut it to release steam before opening it entirely. (Careful-steam will be hot.)

If you like, season with additional salt and thyme, to taste. Enjoy!

PER SERVING (1/2 of recipe, 1 large stuffed mushroom): 90 calories, 2.5g fat, 400mg sodium, 10g carbs, 3g fiber, 4g sugars, 6.5g protein
Linda

I too agree you won't lose flavor if you squeeze the liquid out of the spinach. Many, many recipes--spinach gratin, creamed spinach etc.--require that you do this.

I'm stuck on the microwaving thing. Wouldn't microwaving the mushrooms make them rubbery and yucky?

I agree with those that suggested not covering the dish when you bake it. If it starts to over brown, you could tent some foil over it then.

I like the sound of this recipe. I eat portabellas on a somewhat frequent basis, maybe once every month or two, so I like alternatives to the olive oil/balsamic vinegar throw it on the grill thing we do so much.

We had a cookbook put out by Webber Grills that had a stuffed portabella mushroom recipe in it that I tried. Of course, it was grilled, but it had lots of ingredients, and was only okay, not great. It sounded really good, but I doubt I'll make it again. Unfortunately, we've returned the cookbook to the library. What I remember the recipe had in it was spinach, sun dried tomatoes, bread crumbs, but I don't remember what else. I'm sure it had some kind of cheese - maybe blue cheese, and garlic. Sorry I don't have the recipe with me any more.

Sally

I made this recipe again last night and decided to make only one change at a time, to make it more scientific. So the change I chose was to use frozen spinach, defrost it, and squeeze all the excess liquid out. I forgot to raise the temperature on the oven and to cook less time uncovered (which I will do next time), but it came out pretty much the way I wanted just with squeezing out the water from the spinach. I had bought several small packages of frozen spinach, and I'll have to remember not to buy fresh spinach unless I have a very specific use for it, such as a salad or perhaps an omelet.

Thanks for convincing me to squeeze the spinach - there was really no need for a binder after that was done.

Lars

I think the water is coming from the mushrooms. I make a stuffed portobello recipe similar to this and I put the mushroom caps upside down in my toaster oven for a good 20 minutes. There is a good amount of liquid in those portobello caps. The liquid pools in the toaster oven pan. I take them out (yes, they do shrink a bit) then blot the water off and do the stuffing then put them back in the oven to finish. I make them all the time for a quick healthy lunch or a snack.