Seafood Stuffing (and Make-ahead Stuffed Mushrooms)

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 6 ounces round buttery crackers (ritz -- see note)
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes (or 3 tbs. fresh -- minced)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 tablespoons finely minced celery
• 1/4 cup carrot, finely chopped or coarsely grated
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion, green & parts
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 4 ounces cooked chopped seafood (shrimp, crabmeat, artificial crab, scallops, lobster, or a mixture of any of the above)
• 1 teaspoon old bay seasoning or 1 teaspoon other seafood seasoning
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon or 1 tablespoon or 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup water or 1/2 cup chicken broth or 1/2 cup vegetable broth or 1/2 cup clam juice
• fresh ground black pepper
• salt, if desired
• paprika
• 1 lb mushroom (small or large)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• lemon wedge (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, finely crush the crackers and mix in the parsley flakes.
• 2 set aside.
• 3 heat the 1 tbs.
• 4 olive oil and 3 tbs.
• 5 butter on a medium to high heat, watching carefully.
• 6 when hot and just starting to bubble, add the celery and carrots.
• 7 cook, stirring occasionally, for one minute.
• 8 add the onions and green peppers (and mushrooms if using-- see directions for make-ahead mushrooms below) and cook for another minute.
• 9 add the garlic and cook for another 1/2 minute to a minute until vegetables are tender.
• 10 remove from heat and pour entire vegetable and butter mixture into crushed crackers.
• 11 add the chopped seafood, old bay seasoning, netmeg, , worcestershire sauce, clam juice, and pepper to taste.
• 12 mix well so the seasonings are evenly distributed.
• 13 taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
• 14 i find the salt in the crackes and other ingredients is enough, but if you prefer you can add some additional salt at this time.
• 15 makes about 2 to 2 1/2 cups stuffing.
• 16 to prepare make-ahead stuffed mushrooms: preheat oven to 425.
• 17 remove stems from mushrooms and wash the mushrooms.
• 18 (save stems for another use, or you can chop them finely and add to the stuffing if desired by adding them along with the onions and green pepper to the butter. if doing so, add another 1/2 tbs. butter. however, i think this stuffing is better without them).
• 19 toss mushrooms with 1 1/2 tsp.
• 20 olive oil and salt and place them in a shallow baking pan in one layer.
• 21 bake for 8-10 minutes (depending on size of mushrooms) and remove from oven to cool.
• 22 stuff the mushrooms evenly with the stuffing.
• 23 place in a shallow baking dish and sprinkle evenly with paprika.
• 24 at this point you can refrigerate the mushrooms for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to a month; thaw at least partially before cooking.
• 25 when ready to serve, melt the remaining 2 tbs.
• 26 of butter.
• 27 drizzle evenly over the mushrooms.
• 28 if the mushrooms are room temperature, just broil them until the tops are crispy and they are heated through.
• 29 if they are refrigerated or partially frozen, bake at 350 until heated through, then just run under the broiler for a few seconds to crisp the top, if necessary.
• 30 serve garnished with lemon wedges.