Mushrooms stuffed with spinach & ham

Ingredients

• Mushroom Caps
• 18-24 2" mushroom caps, clean & dry
• salt
• cooking spray
• Bechamel
• 2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoon(s) flour
• 1 cup(s) fat-free milk, hot
• salt
• pepper
• Stuffing
• 1/2 cup(s) shallots, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup(s) squeezed & firmly packed chopped spinach, see notes
• 3/4 cup(s) ham, finely chopped
• 1 cup(s) bechamel
• salt
• pepper
• 2 teaspoon(s) unsalted butter, cut in tiny pieces

Preparation

1. Oven at 350


2. Mushroom Caps (prep these first)
3. 1. Remove stems and reserve another use
4. 2. Using spoon, scoop gills & flesh from inside of caps to create uniform cavity, reserve for another use (optional, depends on your mushrooms)
5. 3. Very lightly coat a large shallow baking dish with cooking spray (large enough to hold mushrooms in one layer)
6. 4. Salt the caps, place in the baking dish and set aside to await filling


7. Stuffing
8. To get 3/4 cups firmly-packed spinach, either (a) chop and cook about 3/4 lb fresh spinach, then squeeze dry -or- (b) defrost 10oz pkg of frozen chopped spinach and squeeze dry
9. 1. In large skillet, melt butter and cook shallots til soft
10. 2. Add spinach and cook, stirring frequently, until any remaining moisture has evaporated , about 3-4min
11. 3. Remove from heat, stir in ham and 1c bechamel
12. 4. Season to taste


13. Bechamel (make after the spinach & shallots are cooked)
14. 1. Melt butter in small saucepan, medium heat
15. 2. Add flour and, using whisk, stir constantly as it cooks for 2min. Adjust heat as needed, do not brown the roux.
16. 3. Remove pan from heat and whisk in hot milk, incorporating all the roux
17. 4. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3min or until the bechamel is think enough to coat a spoon heavily.
18. 5. Remove pan from heat, season to taste with salt & pepper


19. Assembly
20. 1. Spoon the filling into the caps
21. 2. Dot with butter pieces
22. 3. Bake in the upper 3rd of a 350 oven for 10-15min or until the caps are tender and the filling is lightly browned


23. Serve hot from the oven,3-4 per person