Mushrooms Filled with Crabmeat

Shirley Evans



Approx 35 medium sized mushrooms (or use large mushrooms if baking in beef broth)

1 lb mushrooms, washed and dried
3 Tbl butter
1 Tbl flour
1/2 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 6-oz pkg frozen king crab meat, thawed
2 Tbl cream cheese
a few drops of Tabasco, to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan or swiss cheese
4 Tbl melted butter
8 oz beef broth (optional--see variation)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove stems from mushrooms, chop and set aside.  Place mushroom caps, hollow side down, in a buttered baking dish.  Brush with 1 Tbl. melted butter and bake 10 minutes.

Make white sauce of 1 Tbl of the butter, 1 Tbl flour and 1/2 cup milk.  Stir until thickened and add salt and pepper.  Add cream cheese, mixing well.
Saute onion and chopped mushroom stems in remaining 2 Tbl butter for about 4 minutes.
Add white sauce, egg yolk and Tabasco.  cook gently until mixture holds together well.

Arrange cooked mushroom caps,  hollow side in a shallow baking dish.  Stuff mushroom caps. Sprinkle with parmesan or swiss and brush with melted butter.
Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees.


Variation:  This can be served with plate and fork as a pre-dinner starter.
Pour 8 oz. beef broth around mushroom caps before baking.  It will produce a sauce to serve with the mushrooms along with some garlic bread.  This is great for dipping.