Chorizo-stuffed mushrooms (champiñones rellenos de chorizo)

If Aussies love barbecues, then in Argentina, where it is known as asado, people are obsessed. The term encompasses both the food and the hours-long cultural event ordered around a parilla (grill). It’s no surprise for a nation famed for some of the world’s best beef. However, asado comprises more than just hunks of meat; vegetable sides are also cooked on the parilla. We’ve made this classic mushroom pairing topped with chorizo in the oven for ease.

Credit: Ben Dearnley

• serves

  6

• prep

  35 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 6 large field mushrooms
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) olive oil
• 2 x 250 g fresh chorizos (see Note), casing removed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 20 g (¼ cup) finely grated soft pecorino
• 20 g (¼ cup) finely grated manchego (see Note) or parmesan
• ⅓ cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Drink match 2013 Matchbox Wine Co. Malbec Joven, Clare Valley, SA ($30)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 220°C. Remove stems from mushrooms. Finely chop stems and set aside. Place mushrooms upside-down on a large oven tray, drizzle with 60 ml oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes or until browned. Set aside.

Place chorizos in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add chorizos and onion, and cook, stirring, for 7 minutes or until golden. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems, and cook for a further 4 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat, season and stir through both cheeses and half the parsley.

Divide mixture among mushrooms and cook under a preheated hot grill for 2 minutes or until crisp.

Scatter over remaining parsley to serve.

Notes

• Fresh chorizo is available from butchers and delis.

• Manchego is a Spanish sheep’s milk cheese available from delis, greengrocers and specialty food shops.

Photography Ben Dearnley. Food preparation Kirsten Jenkins. Styling Vanessa Austin. Drink suggestion Dan Coward.

As seen in Feast magazine, April 2014, Issue 30.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.