Tabouleh Stuffed Mushrooms (Mushroom Appetizer Recipe)

In this recipe, mushrooms are used as little receptacles for serving tabouleh. They make very refreshing appetizers, which pair perfectly with the beautiful weather we've had in the Bay Area. 

I pickled the mushrooms days in advance so the mushrooms aren't raw but still hold their shape and don't darken. The appetizers are assembled at the last minute and they make an ideal dish for a buffet-style party. We're hosting our  annual pool party soon, so I've been experimenting with fun, summer-y appetizers for the occasion and this mushroom dish is definitely going to make the list! 

Stuffed Mushroom Recipe

Making stuffed mushrooms is a great way to put stale bread to use. I served soup the other night and we had 2 leftover rolls, so I decided to make a plate of these savory treats. To start, I sautéed a few vegetables, including zucchini, bell peppers, celery and carrots. You can use whatever you want, but it's a good idea to choose colorful ingredients. Once the vegetables were cooked, I added the bread, a little vegetable broth and fromage blanc. In case you were wondering, the fromage blanc helps keep the top moist even after the stuffed mushrooms are baked. To complete the dish, I topped the mushrooms with sharp Cheddar cheese. 

I didn't add any additional spices, because the bread was already studded with chiles. Otherwise, a little heat is a nice touch to balance the flavor. One final bit of advice: make a bunch of these. They go fast!