Recipe: Tomato-Stuffed Mushrooms

These little hors d'oeuvres turned out so savory that people didn't believe us when we told them they are totally vegan!
Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen.

What you need:
*1/2 ounce sundried tomatoes, packed in oil
*2 tablespoons olive oil
*18 white mushrooms, stems pulled out and chopped fine and caps reserved
*1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
*2 garlic cloves, minced
*1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
*1 1/2 tbsp. tomato paste
*1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, washed well, spun dry, and minced
*1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled

What you do:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Drain tomatoes well and chop fine.
Lay mushroom caps, stems removed, face down on foiled baking sheet. Bake them approximately 10 minutes, or until their liquid puddles underneath. Remove from the oven. Carefully pour off liquid that has gathered in the bottom of the pan and reserve, and then again, carefully, turn mushroom caps over so they are ready to be filled.
In a small skillet heat oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking and cook chopped mushrooms stems, shallots and garlic, stirring until shallots are softened. In a bowl stir together mushrooms mixture, bread crumbs, tomatoes, reserved mushroom liquid, tomato paste, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mound stuffing in reserved mushroom caps and arrange caps in a lightly greased shallow baking dish, or the same parchment-lined pan you’ve roasted your mushrooms in. Bake in middle of oven 15 minutes.

Makes 18 hors d’oeuvres; we doubled the recipe for supper club.