1 pound mushrooms
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1 onion
1 cup coarsely grated sharp Cheddar (about 4 ounces)
1/2 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop stems. Melt butter. With a pastry brush gently brush mushroom caps all over with some melted butter. Arrange caps, stemmed sides up, on a large baking sheet. Lightly toast walnuts and finely chop. Finely chop parsley. Finely chop onion and in a large heavy skillet sauté with chopped stems in remaining butter over moderately high heat until mixture is softened. Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Divide mixture among mushroom caps, mounding it slightly. Mushrooms may be stuffed 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered.

Bake mushrooms in middle of oven 20 minutes.
Serve mushrooms warm.

Makes about 25.

Gourmet
November 1997
Sugar & Spice; Nancy Rayner, Wynnewood, PA

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

1 large egg
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons English-style dry mustard, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped drained bottled pimiento
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (available at fish markets and some supermarkets) if desired
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes of Tabasco, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound backfin or lump crab meat, picked over
3/4 cup finely crushed Saltines (about 20 crackers)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
lemon wedges as an accompaniment

In a large bowl whisk together the egg, the mayonnaise, the mustard, the pimiento, the parsley, the Old Bay Seasoning, the Worcestershire sauce, the Tabasco, the pepper, and the salt, add the crab meat and 1/4 cup of the Saltines, and toss the mixture gently. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup Saltines on a plate, form the crab mixture with a 1/3-cup measure gently into eight 3/4-inch-thick patties, and coat the top and bottoms of each patty carefully with the Saltines, transferring the crab cakes as they are formed to a sheet of wax paper. In a large skillet heat the oil and the butter over moderately high heat until the foam subsides and in the fat sauté the crab cakes, in batches if necessary, for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, transferring them as they are cooked to a heated platter. Serve the crab cakes with the lemon wedges.

Serves 8 as a first course.

Gourmet
November 1991

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped green onions
Butter
1/2 pound thinly sliced Smithfield ham or Black Forest ham

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly butter 2 cookie sheets. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Add shortening and cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in cheese. Add buttermilk and onions and mix well. Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface and roll out to thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut out biscuits using 1 1/2-inch round biscuit butter. Gather scraps and reroll. Cut out additional biscuits. Transfer biscuits to prepared cookie sheets. Bake until puffed and light golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on rack. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Split and lightly butter biscuits. Stuff with ham. Place on cookie sheets. Bake biscuits just until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Makes 35 biscuits.

Bon Appetit
November 1992