Mushrooms Stuffed with Eggplant, Walnuts and Fresh Herbs

Do you ever cook up a recipe in your head before you actually cook it in the kitchen? If the answer is yes, then join my club. That’s what I usually do when I want to put my imagination to test and challenge my creativity in the kitchen. So my head serves as my test kitchen from time to time. I visualize the final product of my imagination, then “taste” it in my head too. Ha ha. I wonder if my family thinks I am crazy when they see me wrinkle my nose at the looks of the food I just “cooked” but did not turn the way I expected, or when they hear me scream yummy! or yes! and see me rush to the kitchen for what to them may seem like no obvious reason.  Yesterday using the exact same method of recipe testing, I made stuffed mushrooms for my guests who were coming over for dinner.

As you already know, I love eggplant! I also love the combination of eggplants, walnuts, fresh herbs and garlic  – the ingredients popular in Azerbaijani cuisine.  I decided to use these ingredients minus garlic to stuff my mushrooms. My test kitchen gave me a go ahead signal and soon my mushrooms were sitting pretty on a serving platter waiting for the guests to arrive.  Luckily, my test kitchen did not embarrass me – the mushrooms were a hit and were gone in no time.

Stuffed mushrooms are really easy to make. Make sure you chop the walnuts coarsely so the filling has a nice crunch to it. Next time I am going to add some garlic to the stuffing to see if and how it adds to the overall taste. I may also add some crumbled feta cheese to the filling. What is your favorite way to stuff mushrooms?  I am curious to find out. Enjoy!

Mushrooms Stuffed with Eggplants, Walnuts and Fresh Herbs

Makes 20 stuffed mushrooms

Ingredients

20 large white mushrooms (about 24 oz / 700 g)

For the stuffing:

1 medium eggplant
4 tablespoons olive oil
mushroom stems (see the recipe)
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup mixed chopped fresh parsley, cilantro and dill (or use any one or a combination of any two)
salt, to taste
ground black pepper, to taste
shredded Gouda cheese (substitute with mozzarella)

1. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel. Remove the stems, chop them finely and reserve.  Put mushroom cups aside.

2. Peel and cut the eggplant into small cubes (about 1/2 inch / 1.3 cm). Arrange the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt. Put colander in a sink. Place a weight, such as a plate or lid, on top. Leave for about 15 minutes, to allow the bitter dark juices of the eggplant to drain.  (An alternative way to extract the bitterness would be to place the eggplant in a bowl with cold water mixed with 1 tablespoon salt, putting a weight on top and leaving for 15 minutes). Rinse and gently squeeze the eggplant cubes to remove as much moisture as possible.

3. In a medium frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the eggplant cubes and fry, turning frequently for about 7 minutes, or until light brown on all sides. Add the chopped mushroom stems and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 3 minutes, or until the stems are just tender. Remove from heat.

4. Preheat the oven to 350?F (180?C).

5. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cooked eggplant-stem mixture, chopped walnuts and fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently stir with a spoon to mix.

6. Using a teaspoon, fill each mushroom cup with a generous amount of stuffing.  Sprinkle the tops with shredded cheese. Transfer the mushrooms to a baking sheet. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the mushroom cups feel tender and and the cheese is melted.

PS: By the way, Martha Stewart is having a blog contest on The Martha Blog! The winners will be featured on her blog.  Click the link for details. Good luck!

80 Comments

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  1. Dear Farida, really.really love mushrooms (champriñones) are so delicious and these look wonderful! xxxGloria

  2. Those look delicious!

  3. I adore stuffed mushrooms! These look phenomenal. Love the idea of using eggplant. Way better for you than my usual cheese, cheese, and more cheese stuffing 😉

  4. Farida, these are gorgeous and it looks like you & I are both on a mushroom kick…beautiful!

  5. What lovely mushrooms! I should like to have these for dinner with some crusty bread and a glass of red wine. And I might add a tad bit of goat cheese too!

  6. Your recipe is my kind of food. I love mushrooms and but never tried to stuff them. Sounds like a great idea. I think garlic would be a great addition but I’m not really sure about feta.

  7. What a lovely recipe. Like ivy, i too love mushrooms, but hardly stuff them…so can’t give you any ideas. And yes, i can easily join you in the ‘cooking the recipe in your mind’ club 😀

  8. Farida, you are so creative! Those mushrooms sound wonderful! I would have never consider walnuts in my savory dish until I tried your recipes. Now, I just know how good they must taste in this one 🙂 I am trying this one out definitely!

  9. walnuts….nice idea…I have never used those in my stuffed mushrooms. As always, your pictures are beautiful!

  10. I love stuffed mushrooms but I’m not sure how much I’d like it the eggplant filling 🙂

  11. Those little buckets of mushroom with stuffing looks awesome, I am still thinking about eggplant and mushroom combo 🙂

  12. Stuffed mushrooms are great Farida!! They make a great snack or a lovely side dish 🙂

  13. A great way of preparing mushrooms! What a delicious mix of ingredients!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

  14. Yes! I do cook a lot in my head before I do it in the kitchen, it’s like having an oven atached to my neck!
    I also taste thinhs in my head, before eating them, and let me tell you this dish of yours tastes good!

  15. ARGH i totally do that too. weeks before going to the supermarket, in lectures and before i go to bed. it was so bad last year everyone told me to stop it cause then i usually complete the run and actually make them damn things and apparently, result in everyone around me including myself getting fat. i believe those are lies. haha. anyway beautiful stuffed mushrooms. glad to see you posted again! hope u aren’t too busy to forget about me. xxxxx

  16. These look heavenly! I hope you win the Martha blog contest – that would be super-cool.

    xoxox Amy

  17. i can’t seem to get enough eggplant lately, so even though mushrooms tend to turn me off, i’m finding your creation absolutely appetizing! 🙂

  18. That is a lovely recipe using mushrooms..a must try for me.

  19. I love stuffed mushrooms. these sound nice and healthy, too.

  20. I love stuffed mushrooms and these look like some of the best I’ve seen. Yum!

  21. Fari, I absolutely love the look of the stuffed mushrooms against the blue plate.
    And it figures that I just threw away an eggplant I bought and sat around too long because I couldn’t decide what I wanted to do with it. My friend, I love you, but oh, your timing, not so much.
    I’ll go check out aunt Martha’s contest. Good luck to you – as if you’ll need it.

  22. These look delightful!
    I’m always at an impasse as to what to stuff in my mushrooms.
    I was at Whole Foods the last time I was stuck without an idea. I decided to sample some crazy cheeses I had never tasted. That is what gets my creative juices flowing now, the cheese. Once I have an amazing cheese I start “cooking in my head” as well.

  23. I see you like to use walnuts in all kinds of stuffing.

    These mushrooms look and sound great. I hardly ever get around to filling mushrooms this way. I seem to slice and saute them more often than not. Must shake off my old habits and give this recipe a try!

  24. What a delicious recipe. I also love eggplants and mushrooms too! I am adding this recipe to my Eggplant recipe collection.

    Great photos!

  25. I love the use of walnuts with the eggplant and mushrooms! They look delicious!

  26. Halaldyr sene, vallahi billahi! 🙂

    Opurem

  27. I love this creation of yours!!! I make stuffed mushrooms but never used eggplant; looks very delicious, I will try it for sure!!! Thanks Farida for such great ideas 🙂

  28. These look wonderful, Farida! 😉

  29. ahh! never heard of this dish.. this is so different from any other stuffed dishes.. loved the recipe.

  30. Pass the tray, please! These look heavenly.

  31. I cook like that all the time too Farida 🙂

    Those mushrooms look delightful, please pass the plate over as I’d love to try one.

  32. Beautiful way to put your imagination at work. Lucky guests who feasted on them:)

  33. these look yummy! ellerine saglik! I need to try next time, I have not stuffed mushrooms in a long time!

  34. Wow Farida, Those mushromms look great, I’ve never tried this combination before but im sure it tastes yummy. I love walnuts and eggplant too. My gran mix them up with garlic, pomegranete paste and fresh coriander and its a tasty starter. Thanks for the info on Salad Olivier by the way, I bet no one in Iran knows about it, they think they’ve invented it:-)
    Loads of love
    XX M

  35. wow! This looks really good abla! So yummy, I love mushrooms! And eggplants!

    Btw, this plate looks really familiar, it’s like I have seen it here before 😉

  36. GLORIA: Muchas gracias, amiga!

    ROO: Thank you!

    ERIN: Glad you like it.

    PETER: Yeah, let the mushrooms reign:)

    RECIPEGIRL: Great idea with goat cheese! I’ll try it too.

    IVY: Thank you. Now that Recipegirl suggested goat cheese I am liking more than feta for the mushrooms. That’s in my head though:)

    SUNITA: Thank you for your nice words!

    MARIJA: I am flattered to receive such complement from a super creative person like you! Glad you like the recipe!

    AVESTA: Nuts add that crunchiness to food and I like it a lot. Thank you for the pictures:)

    CYNTHIA: I guess it is all a matter of taste:)

    LAKSHMI: Thank you!

    SWATI: I agree – they make a perfect appetizer.

    ROSA: Glad you like it!

    CLUMBSYCOOKIE: Welcome to my club! It’s great to know I am not alone here:)

    DIVA: Thank you! I haven’t forgotten you. How can I? I love you and your blog:)

    FAMILIABENCOMO: Thank you!

    GRACE: Thank you!

    RACHEL: Let me know how it turns if you do try.

    ALEXANDRA’S KITCHEN: Glad you like them.

    ANDREA: Thank you!

    MARYSOL: Mean amiga:) I love you too!

    LYDIA: I love mushrooms stuffed with a combo of different cheeses. It is so delicious!

    DANAMCCAULEY: I am nuts about nuts:) Walnuts are very common in Azerbaijan and we like to either stuff or garnish with them.

    LILIANA: Thank you! Glad you like it.

    ALLEN: Thank you!

    AYTEN GIYAS: Lap meni utandirdin ki.

    MAG: Glad you like it!

    MARYANN: Thank you!

    ANJALI: Glad you like the recipe.

    SUSAN: I wish I could pass the tray. Thanks!

    KITCHEN GODDESS: Come over one day, I’ll make these for you:)

    YASMEEN: Thank you!

    NYSDELIGHT: Afiyet olsun!

    MATIN: Thanks for the starter recipe. I should try it. Especially that I love pomegranate paste:) You are welcome about Olivier:) Let the word spread in Iran:)

  37. MRS ERGUL: Hos geldin. Glad you like it. Good catch about the plate:) Yes, it was “featured” here before, I think with cookies:)

  38. I’ve never stuffed a mushroom Farida, but yours look really good! I think I’d like something highly flavoured and salty (like fetta as you suggested) as the actual mushroom taste/texture can be a little on the bland side.
    xx

  39. I have an award waiting for you on my blog:)

  40. how yummy!!….your blog is one of the best around 🙂

  41. Farida, this recipe is an inspiration. We have a similar dish in Greek cooking and it calls for walnuts in the stuffing as well! Your version looks simply delectable, I would gladly pay for the pleasure of indulging in these stuffed mushrooms made by your talented hands. (I have a soft spot for mushrooms… and talented hands lol).

  42. Anna: I think both feta and goat cheese would work fine. I will use both next time.

    Ivy: Thank you for the award. It’s very nice of you!

    Cook: Thanks for stopping by and for your kind words!

  43. Hi…..the stuffed mushrooms look woanderful…lovely recipe!!

  44. Farida – it has been forever since I stopped by.. love this version of the stuffed mushroom. Bookmarking this!

  45. Farida, these look great. Since you asked, I would like to tell you that I make stuffed mushrooms a lot. & I experiment with the fillings too. One interesting one I tried is with crumbled tofu & watercress (was a good way of getting rid of the tofu too :-). If you like I can send you the recipe. I think I should add walnuts to that too. Nuts in the stuffing sounds like a great crunchy idea.

  46. These look wonderful! I want to stuff mushrooms now. So pretty and elegant. The walnuts are what I’m after. 😉

  47. Farida, I love eggplant too and this looks delicious!

  48. Don’t mind me pal, I just came back to nab the recipe. I forgot to copy it the last time I came through here. Duh.

  49. SAM: Thank you for your compliments? As to similarities, I do find a lot of them between Greek and Azerbaijani food. How interesting!

    HETAL: Thank you!

    MAYA: Thank you for coming back. Glad you like the recipe.

    COOKER: Thank you for the very interesting recipe!

    EATINGCLUB VANCOUVER: Glad you like it. Walnuts give that nice crunch to everything, which I like a lot!

    MARIE: Glad you like it!

    MARYSOL: Come back any time you like, amiga. No problem?

  50. What a creative recipe for stuffed mushrooms! Sounds fantastic!

  51. The mushrooms look gorgeous..Dropping by your blog after a long time..So many recipes!

  52. Those are some awesome looking mushrooms Farida! I love the walnuts in there – that is some serious earthinesss going on!

    Sorry I have been a terrible recipe tester lately. I have just become so far behind on some of my own projects and we are going away in less than 2 weeks! Ack!

  53. Stuffed mushrooms look simply great!! Have something for u in my blog,check it out!!

  54. Marvellous delicious recipe Farida! 😀

    Rosie x

  55. How are u Farida?
    Hope u had a wonderful Eid day.. 🙂
    I just want to grab that mushrooms from the screen.. hm?

  56. I love the way you think, Farida! These look wonderful!

  57. Farida, I have an award to you in my Blog,xxxGloria

  58. Farida, the mushrooms look absolutely delicious!

  59. I loved this post! I have definitely tried making recipes up in my head, but it usually happens when I’m going to sleep and just thinking about things. I don’t think I’m quite as good at it as you are because I can’t really imagine the taste! Can I ask why you left out the garlic? The mushrooms look crazy good and I’d eat them all up in a heartbeat, but I LOVE garlic. What do you think if I were to add it to the stuffing?

  60. Deborah: Thank you!

    Athisaya Divya: Thank you for coming back!

    JennDZ: Thank you! No worries about not testing. You must have your hands full with all your wonderful foodie projects!

    Hetal: Thank you for the award. So nice of you!

    Rosie: Thank you!

    Seena: You can sure come over for some stuffed mushrooms and more:)

    Elle: Thank you!

    Gloria: Gracias, amiga!

    Shaheen:

    Andrea: Welcome to my blog! And to my cooking-in-my-head club:) As to garlic, somehow in my head I couldn’t figure out where to add them – should I fry them a little with the eggplants and stems or should I add them raw. I think next time I am going to try both versions and see which one comes out better. My head can’t decide between the two:)

  61. Farida, you turned all my favourite ingredients into such a fabulous dish. Your blog is just as lovely as I remember it to be 🙂

    Hope you’re keeping well.

  62. Hi again Farida! There’s an award waiting for you on my blog 🙂

  63. stuffed mushrooms look beautiful faridha

  64. Farida, please check out I too have an award waiting for you:)

  65. Dee: Glad you like it. Thanks for your nice words.

    Mag: Thank you, dear. I am flattered.

    Sagari: Thank you.

    Yasmeen: So nice of you! Watch out. I am becoming a spoiled blogger:)

  66. Hi Farida, I’ve been trying to get in touch with you on email but I havent heard back from you in a while. Is everything ok? I intend starting my blog in a couple of days & i wanted your good wishes. Thanks & hope you will respond.

  67. Caroline, my emails to you bounce back. I just tried again. Hope it works this time. So happy for your blog! Good luck!

  68. great idea with eggplants. i stuff them also with crab meet. liitle chopped bellpepper, celery,mayo, egg to bind, salt and pepper. u cam use crab sticks not real crab meat.

  69. Hey Farida, I just discovered ur blog on Indian Girl’s Blog. Your blog looks yummy and I am ur subscriber now:)

  70. Farida,

    I am an American currently living in Baku and one of the things that brings me great joy is food. I was thrilled to come across your blog. It will be very helpful to me in trying to prepare meals with the local ingredient.

    I am going to let the other women from the American Embassy know about your site and will also (in a few days) make a like to you from my blog site – I’m going to attempt these mushrooms (with the garlic) next week and I’ll make the link then.

    You wouldn’t by any chance have a recipe for borsch would you?

    Regards,
    Jenn

  71. JENN: Welcome to my blog. I am very happy that you find it helpful. I am curious about your stuffed mushroom. Hope you enjoy making them:) I do have a recipe for borsch. It’s on my “to post” list and I will try to post it here as soon as I can.

  72. Farida,

    I tried your mushroom today with a slight variation, I used only half the recipe, added one clove of minced garlic and some shredded cheddar cheese. They were wonderful. Thanks for the recipe. I’m always looking for new ways to use eggplant! These were wonderful. I also bought the indgredients for borsch so will be making that on Wednesday.

    Thanks again.
    Jenn

  73. I love the photos on that gorgeous blue plate – and the mixture with walnuts sounds interesting.

  74. When I returned from Baku I brought a small bottle of Azeri Vodka named BEY. It was my impression that alcohol and Currency can’t be taken out of Azerbaijan. Is this true? I would like to know if there is any way to purchase a bottle of wine from Azerbaijan to enjoy at a dinner I plan for friends. I want to serve your Dolma again and stuffed mushrooms. Thank You

  75. I am making the stuffed eggplants for New Year. I heard that in some recipes there is a name for them, maybe Armenian, that meas “little slippers”. Do you know this word?
    Happy new Year!

  76. I want to try the delicious looking mushrooms as well.

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