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Squash, Mushroom Caps Stuffed With Crab, & White Bean Soup

Squash, Mushroom Caps Stuffed With Crab, & White Bean Soup

Chef Linda Weiss
January 8, 2010

I am traveling again, but this time just Up The Road A Piece.

Just up the road from here about 40 miles, in Georgetown, is one of the oldest churches in South Carolina. This beautiful church is the Prince George Winyah Parish Church. The churchwomen have recently put together a cookbook and it’s already getting rave reviews.

The book, Plantation Tours & Taste has already won a coveted Tabasco Award. And, once you read it, you will see why. The watercolors and artwork in the book make you want to look at every page and every detail. This is not just a cookbook, as you will see, but a work of art and history as well as the addition of many great recipes from some of Georgetown, South Carolina’s best cooks.

The first cookbook that the churchwomen put together was back in 1947. The reason then, according to the new book, was to raise money for the new Parish House kitchen. One of the recipes by Mrs. Herbert Smith was “selected for inclusion in a Time-Life publication, The Good Cook, in the volume called ‘Preserving’, and Mrs. Joseph Bull’s recipe for Brown Sugar Squares was included in the volume called ‘Biscuits’.” Today, the cookbook funds are used again for the Parish House kitchen.

Any awards received for this book are well deserved. I’ve included a few of the recipes below, from the book.

The holidays are just past but I thought I’d share some of the recipes that sound scrumptious for accompanying your pork, turkey or roast beef, and also recipes where you can use some of those wonderful winter vegetables.

An appetizer in the book is Mushroom Caps Stuffed with Crab, a coastal favorite. Next, since winter is upon us, how about a good hearty bean soup using fresh spinach.  And for a special dinner side dish, one recipe in particular, Butternut Squash Bake just jumped out from the page, and mostly because of the ingredients. There are so many good flavors in one dish that it has to be good.

I am so grateful for your friendship. Bon Appétit!

Butternut Squash Bake

1/3 cup softened butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups mashed cooked butternut squash

Squash Topping

1/2 cup crisp rice cereal
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Stir in squash. Mixture will be thin. Pour into greased 11 x 7 x 2 baking dish. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Combine topping ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle over casserole. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Variations: For topping, include 1/4 cup coconut to the above and finish baking, being careful not to burn the coconut.

Creamy Italian White Bean Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (15-1/2 to 19 ounces each) white kidney beans (cannellini)
1 (10-3/4 ounce) can chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 cups water
1 bunch (10-12 ounces) spinach
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a 3 quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion and celery and cook 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, continue stirring. Rinse and drain beans. Add beans, chicken broth, pepper, thyme, and 2 cups water; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low, simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile discard tough stems from the spinach; thinly slice leaves.

With a slotted spoon, remove 2 cups bean vegetable mixture from soup; set aside. In a blender at low speed, with center part of cover removed to allow steam to escape, blend remaining soup in small batches until smooth. Pour soup into a large bowl after each batch. Return soup to saucepan; stir in reserved beans and vegetables. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach and cook 1 minutes or until wilted. Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese if you like. Yield: About 6 cups or 4 main dish servings.

Mushroom Caps Stuffed With Crab

16 large mushrooms
9 tablespoons minced onion
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup crabmeat
3 tablespoons Italian parsley (chopped)
1/3 cup dried breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Clean mushrooms. Remove and chop the stems. Sauté onions in oil with 3 tablespoons butter over high heat until onions are clear. Add garlic and mushroom stems and sauté until wilted. Add crabmeat, stirring for 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, breadcrumbs, and seasonings. Pile into caps and put in a casserole dish. Pour wine into dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and white wine. Bake 15 minutes. Pour off wine and serve hot. Yield 8-10 servings.

Visit Chef Linda at her website:  www.cheflindaweiss.com
and her blog:  www.lindaallaboutfood.blogspot.com
Linda’s first book, Memories From Home, Cooking with Family & Friends
is available at Amazon.com or at her website.


All articles are copyrighted and remain the property of the author.

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