Recipe - Hongos Rellenos (Mushrooms Stuffed With Smoked Scallops)

1 tablespoon Fino; (dry) sherry
1 teaspoon Chicken broth base
1 One fourth cup Whipping cream
1 tablespoon Olive oil
One half cup Red bell pepper; minced
One half cup White onions; minced
1 teaspoon Green jalapeno pepper; minced
One half cup Cotja cheese; (Mexican
farmers' cheese)
8 lg Mushroom caps
1/3 cup Bottled chimichum sauce*
Salt and freshly ground
pepper
8 lg Sea scallops**
8 Cornhusks; (soaked in water
if dried)
Whole cilantro leaves and
chopped parsley

* Substitute 1/3 cup vinaigrette dressing to which you have added chopped
parsley and cayenne pepper to taste. ** As an alternative outside the
grilling season, buy smoked scallops

In a medium saucepan, combine sherry and chicken base. Add whipping cream
and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil to reduce mixture to 1 cup. Set
aside.

In a medium saute pan, saute bell pepper, onion and jalapeno in olive oil
over medium heat until soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add cream
sauce and stir to blend. Pour mixture into the bowl of a blender; puree.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Stir in cheese and set
aside. (Sauce may be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate until needed.)

Heat an outdoor grill with wood chips. Brush each mushroom cap with
chimichurri and season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill the caps on both
sides until tender and browned. Remove from heat and reserve.

Season scallops lightly with salt and pepper. Place cornhusks over wood
chips. Lay scallops on an oiled hinged grill or place them on skewer. Cover
the grill and smoke the scallops until firm, 4 to 6 minutes.

To serve, spoon sauce onto four plates. Place 2 mushroom caps on each plate
and add a smoked scallop to the cavity of each one. (If using presmoked
purchased scallops, allow 3 or 4 per serving.) Arrange cilantro leaves
around the caps and sprinkle each plate rim with parsley.

William Rice, Chicago Tribune Magazine 2/22/98

Typed and Busted by Carriej999@AOL.com 4/98

Recipe by: Chef Michael Cordua, Churrascos, Chicago, IL

Posted to MCRecipe Digest by Carriej999 Carriej999@aol.com on Apr 19,
1998