By Jessie Lehail,
Special to The Post

This recipe is a match made in mushroom heaven, especially if you are a mushroom lover. Stuffed mushrooms should be in every home cook’s collection of recipes. They transform a plain ingredient like regular button mushrooms into something delicious. They are easy to make, versatile, and perfect for parties.
The mushrooms act as a blank canvas, and the addition of the cream cheese adds a cooling element to the aromatic spiciness. The chopped pistachios provide an unexpected crunch, and the pastry adds an additional surprise of crisp flakiness.
Puff pastry is a staple in my kitchen and I usually have a package or two in the freezer.

• 15 to 20 button mushrooms
• ½ onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• ½ inch piece of ginger, chopped
• 1 chili pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/3 cup pistachios, shelled and chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground garam masala
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon lemon pepper
• 1 box of puffed pastry, thawed, yet chilled

Scrub the mushrooms well. Remove the stems and finely chop them before setting aside. Place mushroom caps, hollow side up, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. In non-stick skillet, cook onion, garlic, chopped mushroom stems, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Let cool. Add the chopped pistachios. In bowl, stir cream cheese with spices and pistachio mixture. Spoon a heaping tablespoon into each mushroom cap. Unfold the puffed pastry and roll out if necessary. Create small squares out of the pastry. Place each mushroom in the centre of each pastry square and cinch up the corners so it makes a little purse. Bake in a 375°F oven until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve with your favourite mint chutney.

Jessie Lehail is the author of Indian Influence, a food blog that takes global eats and reinterprets them with a South Asian influence. Visit her blog at www.indianinfluence.ca.