Shrimp-Stuffed Sweet Peppers with Wild Mushrooms and Lemon Butter Sauce

Shrimp-Stuffed Sweet Peppers with Wild Mushrooms and Lemon Butter Sauce
8 piquillo peppers or 4 medium red bell peppers
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups cooked white rice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling)
12 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, large dice
1/2 small onion, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley, choppedHeat oven to 350 degrees.Slice tops off of peppers and remove seeds. Blanch peppers in boiling water for 30 seconds; cool slightly.Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a sauté pan and cook mushrooms over high heat for about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add heavy cream to the mushrooms, reduce slightly; remove from heat. Combine rice with mushrooms and cream.Heat the olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Saute shrimp and onion for about 2 minutes. Add wine to the pan and cook for 1 minute; remove from heat.Add shrimp to rice mixture. Season as needed. Reserve wine in pan for the sauce.Stuff peppers with filling and place in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Drizzle peppers with additional olive oil; top with bread crumbs. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.Meanwhile, heat the reserved wine sauce over medium-high burner. Add lemon juice and reduce by half. Lower the flame, season with salt and pepper. Stir in remaining butter and parsley. Do not boil. Pour sauce over stuffed peppers.Serves four. Chef's notes: Substitute cooked cous cous instead of rice, or use different mushrooms. Add fresh herbs (basil, chive or thyme) to the filling for even more excitement.Chef Eric Nielsen, Café La Cave, Des Plaines