Mushroom (Spinach) Wellington Cups

The cups can be made up to one month prior.  Assemble in the muffin tin and then pop the whole tin into the freezer for about an hour.  When frozen, carefully remove from cups and place in ziplock bags.  They can go directly from the freezer into the 375 oven for 16-18 minutes. Likewise just the filling can be made beforehand, and stored in the refrigerator.

I had only 1 pound of mushrooms to hand when I made this, so I supplemented with 2 red onions.  Because I like the combination of spinach and mushrooms, I added 1/2 bag of baby spinach.  This made enough filling for 12 phyllo cups (the recipe yield as given is for 6)

Mushroom (As You Like It) Cups

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, plus 4-6 tbsp unsalted better melted
  • 1 1/4 lbs small cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Kosher salt and ground pepper
  • 5 sheets frozen Phyllo dough, thawed
  • 2 ounces store-bought pâté

Melt 4 tbsp butter in a large skillet over high heat.

(I sauted the red onions at this point) Cook mushrooms for 6 minutes.  Add garlic.  Cook until mushrooms are golden brown, about 1 minute more.

(I added spinach at this point and let it cook down until most of the liquid evaporated) Add wine.  Cook, stirring and scraping browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon, until wine evaporates, about 3 minutes (more if you're using spinach, which releases a lot of liquid).

Sprinkle flour over the mixture, and stir to combine.  Add cream.  Cook until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Season with salt and pepper.  Let cool for 15 minutes, or refrigerate until time to assemble cups.

Preheat oven to 375.  Lay 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface (I covered my regular cutting board with a piece of parchment paper).  Lightly brush sheet with melted butter.  Top with another sheet.  Brush with melted butter.  Repeat with remaining 3 sheets of Phyllo, leaving the top sheet unbuttered.

With clean scissors or sharp knife, cut phyllo stack into six 5 1/2" by 6" pieces.  Nestle each into a cup of a standard muffin tin (I sprayed mine with Pam first, just to be safe).  Spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of mushroom mixture into each.

CUE MONTAGE!!!

Bake until golden, 14 to 16 minutes.  Top each cup with a bit of pâté before serving.

pâté