Instructions: Prepare a medium-hot fire in the grill with a vegetable grill rack in place.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and hollow out the caps, reserving the stems and trimmings. Brush both sides of the mushroom caps with olive oil and sprinkle the inside of the caps with salt and pepper, to taste.

Grill the mushrooms, hollow-side down, until partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Combine the reserved mushroom stems and trimmings with the remaining olive oil and the garlic and toss to coat. Grill, tossing frequently, until lightly cooked, about 5 minutes.

Finely chop the mushroom pieces and garlic by hand or in a food processor. Combine in a medium bowl with the bread crumbs, cheese, and sherry. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stuff into the mushroom caps, mounding up the filling and pressing with your fingers to pack tightly.

Grill the stuffed mushrooms stuffing-side up, until the mushrooms are completely cooked and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Serve hot or warm.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Variations: This is a rather simple recipe, and the flavors can be varied as desired. A tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs is a lovely addition, or a teaspoon of dried herbs can be used. More garlic or a shallot can be grilled with the mushroom trimmings. Any wine or stock can be used instead of the sherry. The bread crumbs can be made with any high-quality white or whole-grain bread.

Comments: When you are preparing grilled hors doeuvres to show off the versatility of the vegetarian grill, these are a sure winner. The basic recipe focuses on the distinct flavor of the grilled mushroom, but plenty of flavor variations are possible (see above). The mushrooms can be partly grilled and stuffed ahead of time, then grilled to finish cooking and heat through at the last minute.

Andrea Chesman"

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