When ringing in the new millennium, don’t limit the champagne to toasting the New Year. Save a little for this recipe for Champagne Shrimp with Rosemary. Serve this delicious shrimp entree as the main dish at a sit-down New Year’s Eve dinner, or as a way to use your leftover champagne after the turn-of-the millennium.

Serve your Champagne Shrimp over pasta, rice or grilled French bread slices. Heat up your range-top grill while you saute the mushrooms, then butter bread slices and grill for a few minutes per side. If you don’t have an indoor grill, simply toast the buttered bread under the broiler.

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick), divided
• 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped green onions, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 1 cup champagne
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• Cooked pasta, rice or toasted bread slices, as accompaniments

Combine salt, cayenne pepper, white pepper, paprika and chopped rosemary in a small bowl. Heat 1/4 cup butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and half of the seasonings, green onions, garlic and chopped parsley. Saute until mushrooms are golden brown. Add champagne and boil, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add heavy cream and continue to boil, until sauce is slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 1/4 cup butter in another large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and remaining seasonings, green onions, garlic and chopped parsley. Saute until shrimp turn pink. Add shrimp to mushroom sauce, garnish with additional chopped fresh parsley, if desired, and serve over hot cooked pasta, rice or grilled French bread.

Makes 6 servings.