I didn’t have a ton of time to make something worthwhile for a relatively impromptu BBQ with some friends today. Thanks to all of you readers for pointing out that the nature of an impromptu BBQ would imply little prep time. Nevertheless, it’s the least prepared I’ve found myself to be. And with a 6 month old daughter constantly in tow at this point, there’s not a lot of room to rejigger the schedule.
Folks were coming to the BBQ prepared. From salads and apps, to grilled veggies, steak, and ribs. What could I make that would fit the theme and make most in attendance happy without taking up my entire morning.
I’ve made stuffed mushrooms on the grill before. I usually go with Parmesan cheese to give the mushrooms a depth and sharpness you can’t get from cream cheese, ricotta, or even mozz. Today, however, I was inspired to try something different. The results are what you see below and I’d recommend this recipe to anyone.
Ingredients:
- Whole cremini mushrooms (baby bellas would work too)
- Blue cheese crumbles
- Bacon
- Toothpicks
- Your favorite hot sauce (I’d go with something that mimics a buffalo wing sauce)
Directions:
- Soak the toothpicks in water. The longer the better.
- Set oven to 350. Insert baking sheet, but go with one that has a sizable lip so the remnant oil from the bacon stays put.
- Prep mushrooms. Brush the dirt off. De-stem. Stand in baking sheet.
- Cut bacon in half. Take the strips out of the package and cut them in half. Traditional bacon strips cut in half should wrap 1x around a mushroom with some overlap.
- Wrap mushrooms. Wrap each mushroom with bacon, then stick a toothpick in at the point of overlap to hold it. I recommend sticking the pick in at an angle.
- Stuff mushrooms. Fill it with blue cheese crumbles. Be generous and don’t worry if it overflows the top a bit.
- Bake mushrooms. I’d go for 20 minutes. If you’re going to finish them in the oven I’d go 20, then remove, clean the baking sheet of the residual oil, and bake again until all is crisp. If you’re finishing on a grill, I’d go finish them on indirect heat on a grill for another 10.
- Remove and let sit. After a few minutes, remove the picks (I told folks to do that but some forgot or didn’t hear me — my bad.)
- Douse with hot sauce. This is a difference maker and I highly recommend finishing it with hot sauce. It will add an acid to cut the fat and will brighten up the dish.
It’s not complicated, but it’s satisfying. See for yourself. 🙂
Suneet Bhatt 