FRIED STUFFED MUSHROOMS

12 medium mushrooms, brushed clean

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoon minced onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons minced cured ham

2 tablespoons bread crumbs, plus bread crumbs for coating

1 teaspoon dry Spanish sherry

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon minced parsley

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon milk

Oil for frying

Separate the mushroom caps from the stems and chop the stems finely. Reserve 3 tablespoons. Melt the butter in a small skillet and sauté the onion and garlic slowly until the onion is wilted. Add the ham and the 3 tablespoons mushroom stems and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the bread crumbs, sherry, paprika and parsley.

Stuff the mushroom caps with a small amount of the mushroom filling. Coat the mushrooms carefully with egg, roll in the bread crumbs. Heat the oil at least 1/2inch deep to 380° and fry quickly until a deep golden color.