Stuffed Chiles with Wild Mushrooms and Cilantro Sauce

Ingredients

Chiles:

• 4 poblano chiles
• 1 pound fresh wild mushrooms (shiitake or oyster)
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 1 small green bell pepper
• 1 small yellow bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cilantro Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Roast the whole poblano chiles over a gas stove burner or under the oven broiler until their skins blister. Remove immediately to avoid burning. Put the chiles in a plastic bag for approximately 30 minutes, then carefully peel skins off. Set chiles aside. (Optional: You may wish to make a slit in 1 side of each chile and carefully remove the seeds, leaving the stem intact.)

Wash and dice the mushrooms. Stem, seed and dice the bell peppers. Saute the bell peppers in hot olive oil for approximately 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook over low heat for approximately 15 more minutes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

With a sharp knife make a small opening in the side of each poblano chile and stuff it with the wild mushroom mixture. Pour some heated sauce on each plate and place a stuffed chile in the center.

Sauce:

2 shallots

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 pound unsalted butter, cut into about 1-inch cubes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves

Finely chop the shallots. In a stainless steel or copper saucepan combine the shallots, wine, and vinegar and reduce over low heat until nearly dry, about 10 minutes. Whisk in lemon juice, then whisk in softened butter, 1 cube at a time. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and bring to a quick boil, whisking constantly. Stir in minced cilantro last.

Variation: Omit the cilantro from the sauce and instead add 4 threads of saffron to the shallots, wine, and vinegar before reducing.