QUING Parties at the Palace with STUFFED MUSHROOMS/BAKED SEAFOOD CASSEROLE

Watching the third film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (for the 48^th time).

I am waiting for the best pep talk in the history of film. Spoken by the most gorgeous king in the history of film.

Aragorn: A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you ‘stand, Men of the West!’

Let’s say such a king ventures into the Palace. I’d bake him some of my all time favorite appetizer; mushrooms stuffed with a luscious crab filling.  If the king wasn’t fond of mushrooms, I’d bake the crab stuffing in a shrimp and scallop casserole, instead.

One mushroom - or one bite of seafood casserole - and Aragorn is no longer obsessed with Elf Girl. He loves Quing!  Gustare!

STUFFED MUSHROOMS

or BAKED SEAFOOD CASSEROLE (from Cathy’s Kitchen)

INGREDIENTS:

28- 30 large white mushrooms, stemmed (approximately 2 packages)
1/2  white onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups unseasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter
6 ounces of crab meat (fresh or canned- king crab meat tastes best!))

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. With damp paper towel, wipe mushrooms clean, and place on baking sheet. Melt 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of butter over medium heat in a large frying pan. Saute onion and celery in butter until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add crab meat and saute for another 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add bread crumbs and cheese to onion/crab mixture. Combine with fork. Fill mushrooms with stuffing mixture. Melt remaining butter, and spoon over stuffed mushrooms. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.

BAKED SEAFOOD CASSEROLE

Substitute 12-14 large Shrimp and 12 -14 Sea Scallops for mushrooms. Spray a casserole dish (or grease with butter.) Place seafood in casserole in a single layer. Spoon stuffing mixture over seafood, and drizzle with melted butter.  Bake at 350 degrees until stuffing is lightly browned, and seafood is no longer translucent, 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.