- 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (1/2 oz)
- 1 1/4 cups hot water
- 5 oz shrimp, shelled, deveined, and finely chopped
- 5 oz ground pork
- 4 oz halibut fillet, skinned, and fish finely chopped
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1/4 cup finely chopped rinsed canned water chestnuts
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus 1 teaspoon for dusting shiitake caps
- 1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or medium-dry Sherry
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil
- 16 (1 1/2-inch-wide) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded
- Reserved porcini liquid
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
- 1/2 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
- Soak porcini in hot water in a glass measure until softened, about 30 minutes. Pour liquid through a paper towel–lined sieve into a small bowl to remove grit. Discard solids.
- Put stuffing ingredients in a bowl and stir together in one direction with your hand until well blended.
- Arrange shiitake caps, smooth sides down and close together, on a work surface. Put 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a fine sieve, then dust tops of mushrooms. (This will help stuffing adhere.) Stuff shiitake caps with shrimp mixture, packing gently.
- Stir together porcini liquid, oyster and soy sauces, salt, and sugar and reserve.
- Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add mushrooms, stuffing sides down, and cook until golden brown on bottom, about 2 minutes. Carefully turn mushrooms over and cook 2 minutes more.
- Add ginger and garlic to pan (between mushrooms) and cook 1 minute. Pour in reserved sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes.
- Transfer mushrooms to 4 small plates and keep warm. Boil sauce, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes and spoon over mushrooms.