Portabella Mushrooms Topped With Crab Imperial A La John Shields - cooking recipe

Ingredients

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS
6 tablespoons butter (3/4 stick)
4 portabella mushrooms, 4-inch diameter (or 16-20 medium mushrooms, stemmed)
1/4 cup dry sherry
CRAB
2 tablespoons green bell peppers, diced
2 tablespoons red bell peppers, diced (or 2 tablespoons pimento)
1/2 cup mushroom, chopped
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon capers, drained and chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 lb lump crabmeat, picked over
IMPERIAL TOPPING
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 pinch paprika
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
SAUTE MUSHROOMS:
Melt the butter in a skillet large enough to hold your mushrooms at one time. Saute the mushroom caps for 5 minutes, or until barely tender.
Pour in the sherry, turn up the heat, and reduce the liquid by half.
Remove from the heat and let cool.
Meanwhile line a baking/broiling tray with aluminum foil. Place the mushroom caps on the tray, reserving the butter/sherry liquid in the skillet.
MAKE CRAB MIXTURE:
Saute the bell peppers and mushrooms in the reserved butter/sherry liquid until soft. Set aside.
Combine the mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire, Tabasco, capers, pepper, and Chesapeake seasoning in a small bowl and mix well. Add the sauteed peppers and mushrooms.
Place the crabmeat in a mixing bowl and pour the seasoned mayonnaise mixture over it. Toss gently.
Spoon the crabmeat mixture on top of the mushroom caps (already on the aluminum-foil-lined trays).
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes.
MAKE IMPERIAL TOPPING:
Meanwhile, combine all Imperial Topping ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Preheat the broiler.
Spoon the topping evenly over each mound of crabmeat.
Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until nicely browned. (If broiler is unavailable, brown the top in the oven. It will take a bit longer.).
Serve immediately. Serves 4.