Stuffed mushrooms (Julia Child)

Pat the mushrooms clean and remove the stems. Butter a baking dish, brush the caps all over with melted butter, place hollow side up and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Finely chop the stems, gather them in a fresh cloth and squeeze out the juices.

Finely chop the onion and the shallot.

Heat the butter with a little oil in a frying pan; saute the onion a couple of minutes without browning.

Add the shallot and mushroom stems and cook over moderately high heat six to eight minutes until the pieces dry, separate and start to brown.

Add a little Madeira and boil it down rapidly until evaporated; turn off the heat.

Stir in the breadcrumbs, cheeses, parsley, dried tarragon, pepper and salt; add the cream a tablespoon at a time until the mixture holds together.

Stuff the caps, top with a little grated Swiss cheese and a few drops of melted butter.

Bake in the upper part of the oven at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the caps are tender and the stuffing lightly browned.

Turn the oven off and keep the mushrooms warm inside with the door ajar until serving.