Recipe - Letoiles Braised Cremini Mushrooms

4 cup Chicken stock
2 teaspoon Olive oil, divided
2 lg Shallots, finely minced
One half cup Madeira wine
3 Fresh thyme sprigs, plus
1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
(reserved)
1 Fresh rosemary sprig, plus
1 teaspoon chopped rosemary
leaves (reserved)
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper, to taste
12 lg Cremini mushrooms (about
One half lb) stems discarded
2 Leeks, white parts only,
cleaned and chopped
2 tablespoon Chopped fresh parsley
One fourth cup Grated Parmesan or Asiago
cheeses

In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil
over high heat. Boil until reduced to 1 cup and
reserve. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large nonstick saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over
medium heat. Add shallots and saute until lightly
browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, add Madeira
and carefully return to high heat. Boil until reduced
to a syrup. Add reduced chicken stock, thyme sprigs,
and rosemary sprigs and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Cook over high heat until mixture is slightly reduced,
3 to 5 minutes. Pour into a shallow casserole, add
mushroom caps, stem sides up. Cover and braise in the
over for 30 minutes. Take casserole from oven, remove
mushroom caps and set aside. Strain braising liquid
and set it aside. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a
nonstick saute pan over mediumhigh heat. Add leeks
and stir until translucent. Add braising sauce and
cook until sauce is thick and thoroughly coats leeks,
5 to 8 minutes. Cool sauce slightly; stir in chopped
fresh thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Stuff mushroom
caps with leek filling; arrange caps on a small baking
sheet. Preheat broiler.
Just before serving, sprinkle stuffed mushrooms with
cheese. Broil until heated through and cheese melts,
about 1 minute.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini