Jasper's new cookbook is due to be released Fall, 2009!

Jasper J. Mirabile, Jr.

Named One Of Wisconsin's Seven New Cheese Chef Ambassadors

"Jasper J. Mirabile Jr. is bringing his distinctive regional styles to the Wisconsin Cheese Chef Ambassador program. He traveled with 6 other chefs to began his service with an "immersion tour" in Madison, Wis. that included visits to seven cheesemakers, including Carr Valley Cheese, Bleu Mont Dairy and Roth Käse, as well as Wisconsin Cheese tastings.The Chef Ambassador program, sponsored by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, connects Wisconsin Cheese and the state's legendary cheesemakers with the best chefs in the country. The program, now in its sixth year, includes 35 distinguished chefs.The new ambassadors will cook with Wisconsin Cheese and develop innovative menu applications, some of which will be featured in their restaurants. They will also "spread the word" about Wisconsin's specialty and artisan cheesemakers to peers and patrons through a variety of activities. This year, the program has a uniquely Midwestern focus, ideal for the current class of chefs who are passionate about using local products on their menus. "

He just returned today from Boston teaching a pasta seminar for American Italian Pasta Company and Lensi pasta kicking off a new artisan pasta made in Bronze dyes, really a fantastic product, according to Jasper.

As for the rest of the week, he has a sold out wine dinner night with the owners of Castello Banfi Wine from Tuscany and then VALENTINES DAY WEEKEND!!!!
After next week, he is teaching cooking classes at Feb 18 at The Culinary Center of Kansas City, then Williams Sonoma on the 23rd of February.

The following is Jasper's recipe for his wonderful Lobster Cappuccino.

"This is the dish that opened the door for me to the James Beard House (www.jamesbeard.org). I was one of the first chef’s from Kansas City (and one of the first Italian chefs)invited to cook at the prestigious home of America’s infamous cookbook author and chef, James Beard. The dish I created not only had to meet the standards of excellence set forth by the The James Beard Foundation; it had to appeal to the New York critics as well! I started off the event with this Lobster Cappuccino and it has become my signature dish! ".....Jasper

Jasper Jr.’s James Beard House Lobster Cappuccino
Serves 6
1 lb lobster meat
2 to 4 tablespoons butter
2 oz sherry
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon lobster base*
Pinch of tarragon
Fresh whipped cream for topping
1/4 lb pancetta (Italian bacon)
6 cappuccino or espresso cups
*sold at specialty food stores and online.
Mince the lobster meat and onions. Melt the butter in a 2-quart pot, sauté the onions in butter (until onions become translucent). Add the lobster meat and continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes (adding more butter, if necessary).
Add sherry, bring to boil and reduce mixture to about 1/2. Add lobster base, cream and tarragon. Bring to boil, and then reduce heat to a slow simmer for approximately 12 minutes.
In a large pan, fry pancetta until crispy. Wrap fried pancetta with paper towel (to absorb grease), crumble, and set aside.
Prepare fresh whipped cream.
Pour lobster mixture into cappuccino (or espresso) cups; top with fresh whipped cream and crispy pancetta.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe. Jasper, thank you for following my blog! I love receiving all of your kind comments! You keep shaking up the world with your cooking, I'll keep on blogging.

"Mimi's Panini"

Have you ever eaten Mortadella? Trust me, it is the best meat for a panini! Now don't buy German Mortadella...YUCK! Buy Italian! Carando has it presliced and it is so good. Anyway, Mortadella is perfect for this next Panini.

Mortadella Panini

1 8-inch focaccia
6 tablespoons light garden vegetable cream cheese, divided
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
6 to 8 slices Mortadella
2 red onion slices, sliced thin, separated
6 to 8 slices provolone cheese

Slice focaccia in half horizontally. Spread each half with 3 tablespoons cream cheese. Layer one half with tomato, bell pepper, mortadella and cheese. Drizzle inside of top of focaccia with good olive oil, place on top of sandwich. Brush top and bottom with olive il and place in preheated focaccia grill. Close the lid and control yourself while grill does its thing! Soon it will be a delicious, crispy panini for 6!

Tip: I buy my cheese at the deli counter and have them slice it on #12. Perfect slice for a panini, I want the cheese to be evident, I don't want some whimpy little sliver of cheese! If you can't find the Mortadella presliced and packaged, the deli will have it also. It would be lovely also sliced on #12!

See you tomorrow!

Mimi’s Paninis

I have enough kitchen gadgets and small appliances to stock every kitchen in the neighborhood, but when you are “foodie” you just have to have kitchen stuff! I may only use an item once or twice a year, but when I need it, I want it there waiting for me.
Among my small appliances is a Panini Grill, a favorite of mine. Arch and I used to make paninis several times a week. Let’s face it, most sandwiches are better grilled.

To be an impassioned Panini maker you need to be prepared. In your refrigerator, you want to keep several kinds of thin sliced meat. You might want to do an American Panini, a grilled Ham and Cheese. Or maybe you prefer a Barbecue Panini with sliced brisket….. just because a Panini is an Italian sandwich doesn’t mean you can’t make it American, French, German, Mexican, whatever! However, my favorite Paninis happen to be Italian. Keep your refrigerator stocked with packages of sliced salami, hot capicola, soppressata, and prosciutto. Look for the Carando brand, always excellent and available at the grocery store, both pre-packaged and fresh sliced at deli counter.
Next we need to talk cheese. My choices are Provolone, which is Italian, and Havarti, a Danish cheese. Both are loaded with flavor and melt beautifully, but maybe you prefer Cheddar and Swiss. If you really want to live it up, go with Brie.
I think each Panini should also have a sauce. My favorite is a mayo flavored with pesto, but the new Hellman’s Mayonnaise with Tabasco is excellent also. You don’t like mayo?
Try a mustard sauce, such as Durkee’s, or how about barbecue sauce?
Okay, so far we have our meat, cheese and sauce ready and waiting in the refrigerator. Next we concentrate on the perfect bread. You do not want that wimpy, pathetic, pasty stuff they sell in plastic bags in the bread aisle at the grocery store, NO, NO, NO! What you want to do is find yourself an excellent source for good Italian Foccacia. Foccacia is a dimpled Italian flatbread drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with crushed rosemary and sea salt. It is the perfect bread for grilling on the Panini grill.
Now is the time for you to figure out if you are going to add such things as roasted red pepper strips, onion, olives, lettuce, pickles, etc. You might want to do a simple cheese Panini with apple or pear slices…..or you have Brie cheese? How about a Nutella, that wonderful chocolate/hazelnut spread you buy in a jar, and Brie Panini? When you run to the store to buy the Carando meats, pick up the Nutella, who knows when you might want a Chocolate Hazelnut Panini! You know what?....while you are there, pick up some flour tortillas, the Panini grill makes perfect Quesadillas!
Let’s see, all we need now is the olive oil and we are ready!
Cut you foccacia into 4” squares, slice each square so you have a top and a bottom of equal thickness. Drizzle with olive oil on both sides of each piece of bread. On the bottom part, spread the inside with pesto mayonnaise. All you need to do is buy prepared pesto and add a spoonful to a quarter of a cup of mayo. Of course you can make your own, you can even be a Martha about it and grow your own basil first, but personally, I think buying it is just fine. Next lay on a slice of cheese, followed by your choice of meat. Now, I know the deli sells sandwiches that are piled high with 4” of sliced meat, but that won’t work here. The grill has a lid that is weighted to flatten the sandwiches so they become thin and very crisp. You don’t want the filling of your Panini being smushed out the sides! So, several slices of meat arranged on top of the cheese. Now would be the time to add peppers, onions, etc. topped with another slice of cheese. You may decide to put more sauce on top piece of bread…entirely up to you. Place the top bread on the Panini and place it on the grill. Close the lid and in a very few minutes, (if you remembered to preheat it) you will have a treat!

Warm and Oozing with melted cheese…OH MY!

It appears that I have misplaced my digital camera, so the photo above is not mine. I will keep looking and hopefully next time I can use my own photos.

Stayed tuned….I will be sending you more Panini ideas. Hopefully with photos!