Mushrooms Stuffed with Leek and Cheese

These stuffed mushrooms can be eaten as a starter, lunch or main meal, depending on what you serve with them (and how many you eat!).

• 8 large flat mushrooms (Portabello type)
• 1 leek, finely chopped
• 2 slices of bread, made into breadcrumbs
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp paprika
• 100g/4oz grated hard cheese (Cheddar, Emmental, Gruyere etc.)

Peel the outer skin from the mushrooms and remove the stalks.
Chop the stalks finely.
Gently fry the leeks and mushroom stalks in a little melted butter or olive oil, for about 5 minutes (or microwave on a medium setting in a covered bowl).
Add the garlic, paprika and herbs and cook for a further minute.
Stir in the cheese and breadcrumbs and stir well to combine all of the ingredients.
Meanwhile drizzle the mushrooms with a little olive oil and grill or cook in a hot oven (200C/190C Fan/Gas 6) for around 5-10 minutes, turning once.
Top each mushroom with a heaped tablespoon of mixture.
Press the stuffing down using your hands, so that it sticks to the mushrooms.
Return to the grill/oven for a further 5-10 minutes until golden brown.

Alternatives: This stuffing mixture can also be use to stuff courgettes, pointed sweet peppers etc. Adjust the cooking times to allow the vegetables to almost cook through before stuffing.
Vegan version: swap the dairy cheese for vegan cheese, or use 4 tbsp olive oil, to moisten the breadcrumb mixture. Pin It