Braised Shiitakes with Shrimp Stuffing

Name: Braised Shiitakes with Shrimp Stuffing
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 hr
Yield: Makes 4 (first course) servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (1/2 oz); 1 1/4 cups hot water; 5 oz shrimp, shelled, deveined, and finely chopped; 5 oz ground pork; 4 oz halibut fillet, skinned, and fish finely chopped; 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions; 1/4 cup finely chopped rinsed canned water chestnuts; 1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus 1 teaspoon for dusting shiitake caps; 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger; 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or medium-dry Sherry; 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil; 16 (1 1/2-inch-wide) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded; Reserved porcini liquid; 1 tablespoon oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 3/4 teaspoon sugar; 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil; 1/2 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger; 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

August 20, 2004

We adapted this recipe from Big Bowl Noodles and Rice, by Bruce Cost with Matt McMillin (HarperCollins).

Cost likes to stuff dried black Asian"flower" mushrooms. Because these can be expensive and hard to find, we asked if we could try fresh shiitake mushrooms instead. Cost agreed, and we loved the results.

Look for shiitakes with caps that have rounded edges to better hold the stuffing.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Recipe notes

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