CONGRATULATIONS to this year's recipe contest winner, Donna Pochoday-Stelmach, for her lovely and scrumptious appetizer, Herbed Scallion-Shallot, Wild Mushroom Pinwheels. Not only are the individual pinwheels eye-catching with their flaky, golden crust, but they're also remarkable for their bold, assertive mushroom taste that quickly elevated this preparation to the very top of all the submissions.
Yes, simply put, these pinwheels are yummy! If you decide to serve them at your next gathering, be prepared to graciously accept the accolades of all in attendance! No, there's no need to modestly confess that you didn't create the hors d'oeuvre. Instead, talk about the variety of mushrooms you enclosed in the dough and the ease of preparation. It's true: the pinwheels really are a snap to make, and most of the prep can be done long before guests arrive.
When we asked Donna if we might print something about her on the website, she offered the following biographical information:
Donna currently resides in the "Garden State" of New Jersey. She is married and has a 12-year old son. Donna enjoys cooking and baking as a hobby. As a young Ukrainian girl, Donna helped her mother cook and bake Ukrainian dishes, including decadent nut tortes, babkas, flavorful mushroom dumplings and sauces, borscht, and pierogies. Although her mother has passed from Alzheimer's Disease, Donna now teaches her son Ukrainian cuisine, traditions and culture.
Today, Donna enjoys working with traditional recipes, but tries to give them a modern twist. She is not afraid to create new recipes, or experiment with different flavor combinations. Her food motto is "Do not be afraid to experiment and try new techniques or ingredients."
Our 2014 winner, Donna Pochoday-Stelmach!
AMAZING isn't too strong a word to describe the many delicious and unique mushroom preparations that we received in response to our recipe contest. Clearly, Donna's creation was a smash hit with all the testers, but we'd also like to single out the following individuals for their exceptional entries.
- Roxanne Chan of Albany, California created a Winter Wilted Shiitake Salad which was a delightful combination of Napa cabbage and baby spinach, shiitakes sautéed in sesame oil, whole baby corn, radishes, cilantro, green onions, all of which was enhanced with a light dressing of rice vinegar, lime juice, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, black sesame seeds, and topped with a shaving of lime peel.
- Brenda Jackson of Marion Station, Maryland e-mailed us her recipe for Mushroom Wraps, which, as she accurately described them, are “the best of a stuffed mushroom and a crispy won ton” and she paired the recipe with a homemade Hoisin Sauce. Her mushroom filling was artfully seasoned with onions, garlic, cilantro, mint, and Parmesan cheese and does credit to .
- Jeff Hebl of New Holstein, Wisconsin tempted us with his Captain Crunch Stuffed Mushrooms Appetizer, a combination of colorful peppers, a variety of cheeses, dried cranberries, bacon, and sun dried tomatoes, all of which was nestled in mushroom caps…and, let's not fail to mention, there was also Captain Crunch cereal.
- Laura Davis’ Mushroom Risotto was rich with a blend of porcini, matsutake, shiitake, and cremini mushrooms stirred into arborio rice, white wine and Parmesan cheese. Laura put Eastern Shore, Maryland on our map with this contribution.
- Sherri Williams of Crestview, Florida sent us her Mama's Whiskied-Up Rib-Eye Tips and Shrooms over Fusilli which brought together baby bella mushrooms, shallots, garlic, herbs de provence, beef stock and, lest we forget, whiskey, folded into pasta. There were also rave reviews for Sherri's South of the Border Chipotle Mushroom Sliders with ground sirloin patties seasoned with chipotle salsa, cilantro and oregano, grilled, set on buns, topped with Havarti cheese, and crowned with a mixture that folded together portabellas, peppers, shallot, garlic, Mexican blend spices, as well as the juice and zest of a lime.
- Todd Miller of Harrison, Ohio developed his tasty and unusual Roasted Wild Mushroom Cakes With Red Wine Glazed Chorizo (a mixture of wild mushrooms, rice, Manchego cheese is topped with chorizo that has been simmered with red wine, honey and rosemary) while hosting wine dinners. We're betting that his guests are delighted to receive an invitation to his dinners!
We will be contacting all these creative chefs in hopes that they will give us permission to print their entries in our website’s Incredible Edible - Recipe of the Month section during 2014.
Is your mouth watering yet? Are your taste buds trembling with anticipation?
Well, at long last, here's Donna's prize-winning recipe:
Herbed Scallion-Shallot, Wild Mushroom Pinwheels
Ingredients for Wild Mushroom Filling
- 1/2 ounce dried wild mushroom mix (e.g. porcini, shitake, chanterelle) (about 1/2 cup)
- enough very hot water to cover the mushrooms (about ½-3/4 cup)
- 1/2 pound fresh white mushrooms, trimmed and halved
- 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
- 1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or dill weed
Ingredients for Dough
- 1 package refrigerated crescent dough sheets (with 2 sheets), thawed if frozen
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted,
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water or milk
Prepare the Filling
1. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling-hot water. Soak for ½ hour.
2. Remove the mushrooms; squeeze the excess liquid into the bowl. Rinse the dried mushrooms removing any grit.
3. Strain liquid through a sieve, lined with cheesecloth, into another bowl. Set aside.
4. In a food processor, pulse the dried and white mushrooms, until finely chopped.
5. In a heavy, large skillet set over medium heat, sauté the shallots and the scallions in 3 tablespoons butter, until just softening, about 1 minute.
6. Stir in the mushrooms, reserved liquid, wine, salt, and pepper, and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. Add in the garlic and parsley, stir 1 minute and remove from heat.
8. Transfer filling to a plate, chill, uncovered, about 10-15 minutes.
Prepare the Rolls
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking sheet.
2. On a floured working sheet, roll out each of the prepackaged dough sheets to a 10 by 12 inch size.
3. Brush top of the dough sheets evenly with melted butter.
4. Spread 1/2 of mushroom filling length-wise, within ½ inch of the edge of the dough sheet, along the long side closest to you.
5. Roll up dough tightly away from you towards the other end, jelly-roll style. Pinch and seal the ends.
6. Place roll, seam-side down, onto a prepared greased baking sheet.
7. Brush roll with egg wash. Prick the dough in several places to allow steam to escape.
8. Repeat the process with the second dough sheet and remainder of the filing.
9. Bake rolls in preheated oven, until golden brown, 14-17 minutes. Remove and cool slightly on a rack.
10. Gently cut each roll crosswise into 1-inch thick pieces with a serrated knife. Serve warm or at room temperature with some parsley for garnish.
Makes about 16 pieces.