Plum-Glazed Stuffed Shiitake Mushrooms

40 small shiitake mushrooms (about 1 1/4 pounds), stemmed
12 ounces bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup Chinese plum sauce [must be good plum sauce, no substitute]
1 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil

1/2 cup chopped fresh chives

Place shiitake mushrooms stem side up on large rimmed baking sheet. Mound each with about 1/2 tablespoon pork sausage. Stir plum sauce in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until melted. Whisk in oil. Brush mushrooms with all of plum sauce mixture. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake mushrooms until sausage is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer to large platter. Sprinkle with chives.

Comments:
- I always use baby bellas or white mushrooms and "spicy" sausage.
- I cut costs a bit by substituting cremini mushrooms for the shitake.
- Have made this with ground pork and with ground chicken and prefer the chicken over the pork any day.
- Loved these with crab meat.
- Added a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes.
- I increased the oil by 1/2 tbspn.
- You must have the right brush to spead the plum sauce, it can get a little messy. Only a 15 minute hold time...only negative.
- Had fresh crabmeat on hand, so mixed that with sauteed green onions and subbed for the sausage. Very tasty! Used baby bellas for ease of stuffing.
- Remember that shiitake mushrooms have a very delicate flavor that you could overpower if you stuff too much sausage or use a sausage that is heavily flavored.

From: Epicurious [archive.org]