Mushrooms with Queijo da Serra/Cogumelos com Queijo da Serra

A deliciously simply recipe for a starter. Easy to make many of them so ideal for a dinner party (just double or triple the recipe). Queijo da Serra is (some say) the best Portuguese cheese but competition is fierce… I must admit last time I made this, I had fun stuffing some mushrooms with serra and others with Queijo de Azeitão… Diners seemed to have fun trying to guess which one was which and by the time I arrived for a proper tasting they were all gone…

As with all simple preparations, good quality ingredients are key so pick carefully!

12 chestnut mushrooms

Pinch of fleur du sel

Dried oregano leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

12 tsp Queijo da serra

Serves 6 as a starter

1. Remove the stalk from the mushrooms and place on a baking tray previously drizzled with olive oil and some fleur du sel. Add some more fleur du sel inside the mushrooms and stuff with the cheese (up to the rim of the mushroom).
2. Place under a grill for 20 minutes, watching carefully as the cheese begins to brown.
3. Remove from the grill, drizzle with olive oil, season with freshly ground black pepper, oregano leaves and serve immediately with a fresh salad.