Mimi's Cafe - A wonderful dining experience

Mimi's is part of a national chain, though by the service and food, you would think it was a local restaurant. My wife and I took her mother out for a "belated" Mother's Day dinner. Mom chose this restaurant "just because". Good choice Mom!

When we arrived we were promptly seated and out server, Britt, came over and asked if we had ever been in the restaurant before. We said we had not. She offered to explain the menu, which was quite extensive, and did so in an easy to understand manner. She explained the specials and the signature dishes along with the rest of the menu items. They offer a variety of dishes. Pasta, seafood, sandwiches, “comfort” foods, salads, and more!

One thing that struck me the most was the décor. There was a mixture of Italian and French. Okay, now I am confused. Is this an Italian restaurant, or a French Bistro? Despite the surroundings, (which were quite nice despite the mixture), the food was excellent. My wife and Mom-in-law chose the broiled salmon with asparagus and mashed potatoes. I chose the shrimp piccata fettuccine, with mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy lemon caper sauce! It was wonderful!

This was all part of a three course meal, the first part being salad or soup. I had a Caesar salad, my wife the house, and Mom had vegetable soup, homemade. We ended with our deserts. I had a bread pudding in a whiskey butter sauce with fresh whipped cream, my wife had an apple cinnamon crisp, and Mom had a raspberry mousse. It was all wonderful. (There was nothing left of any of the deserts!) As we were getting ready to leave, and our server brought back our credit card, she handed us a container with four delicious looking muffins in it. She said they were complimentary and we should enjoy them. Wow! How often does that happen? All in all a wonderful dining experience.

Found a great little cookbook

I was in my local Half Price Books today, looking for some of GR's books. To my bewilderment, they didn't have any of his books! WOW! I even asked one the clerks and she said that she was not surprised, they hardly ever get any of his books. So I guess I will just have to keep getting them from Amazon! Oh well.

But it wasn't a total loss. I found a neat little soft bound cookbook in the Italian section, Northern Italian Cooking by Bibi Caggiano, and it has some great recipes! Risotto with Champagne! Sounds good!! Petti di Pollo al Marsala! (Chicken breast with Marsala wine) Funghi con Marsala e Panna! (Mushrooms with Marsala wine and Cream), Pere al Vino Roso(Pears poached in Red Wine). And it goes on! Of course, the recipes in the book are for large families, so I will have to make adjustments, tweak them a little. There are just the two of us now, finally, and no matter how I do it, we always end up with left overs. And I hate to waste food!

Well, I will get this together, and hopefully have at least one of the many recipes made up this coming weekend, so I can post it for you here. Keep checking back!

Buon appetito

A Dinner Idea - The continuing story

Well, let's just say it didn't go off as planned. The marinara was a little too thick, to say the least. I decided to make it up Sunday morning, cooled it, set it in the refrigerator for 5 or 6 hours, reheat and add the mushrooms. I even added additional olive oil and a little water! Oh well, there's always next time.

And that is not all! The sauteed eggplant didn't work out either. First of all, the Panko and cheese mixture wouldn't stay put. And when I put the slices in the hot olive oil and started turning them over, most of the coating would fall off! AHHHHH! Okay, like I said before, I am a novice, a "weekend" chef, and this was something new for me. Live and learn, right? The only really good part of the meal was the mushroom angolotti and the side salad I mixed up! Oh, and the wine!

I do have a good idea of a few things that went wrong with the marinara. First, I used 3 tomatoes, not 4. Second, I skipped on peeling them! And instead of using the whole can of paste, I should have cut it in half. As if that weren't enough, the wife said it was too "Hot". So next time I omit the red pepper flakes. (I did use more than a quarter tsp.)

Other changes I made:

I roughly chopped the mushrooms(versus slicing, and only used 2 larger ones)
I used 2 tsp red pepper flakes! (as it simmered and I tasted, it didn't taste too "Hot")
I added an additional tsp of oregano as it was simmering

On the eggplant:
I used all 3 cheeses with the breadcrumbs (Parmigiano reggiano, Asiago, and Romano) about 1/4 cup each
I added additional olive oil, as needed, when sauteing



Questa la vita

A Dinner Idea

This is something I am thinking of doing this Sunday for dinner. I got the idea after a visit to my local Central Market. A wonderful place for Foodies! If you have never been, and are lucky enough to have one in your area, you must go. When you first enter, you are greeted by fresh vegatables and fruits. They even have fresh herbs! A wonderful assortment of fresh seafoods and meats, fresh breads, and more! They have two locations here and I have been remiss in going, until lately, and now I can't get enough! On my last visit, this past Wednesday, I picked up a nice fresh baby eggplant, some cremini mushrooms, porcini mushroom angoloti(a different brand from Boutoini!), some fresh basil, and some "on the vine" roma tomatos. Now here is what I plan:

Porcini Mushroom Angoloti in a homemade mushroom marinara, and sauteed eggplant

Mushroom Marinara Sauce

4 roma tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 6oz can tomato paste
4 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Cremini mushrooms, sliced

Place tomatoes, paste, basil, oregano, salt, black pepper, pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup olive oil into food processor. Blend until smooth. In a sauce pan, add the 2 tbsp olive oil and bring heat to medium. Once oil starts to smoke, add garlic and cook until lightly brown. Add sauce from food processor, and mushrooms to pan and bring heat to high. Bring to a boil and then set heat to low, stirring occasionaly. Let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. (Add seasoning if needed, to taste)

Sauteed Eggplant

1 baby eggplant, sliced thin
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmigiano reggiano, grated
1/4 cup Asiago or Romano, grated
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch slices. In a bowl, beat egg, add milk and whisk together. In a shallow pan, mix bread crumbs and chesses together. Dip eggplant in egg mixture and lay in breadcrumb mixture, covering eggplant. Remove slices and set aside. In a saute pan, add oil and heat on medium. When oil is hot, gently add eggplant slices one at a time. Cook for 2 -3 minutes or until golden brown. Gently turn over and cook other side until golden brown. Remove from pan and place on paper towel covered plate to drain.

Don't forget to boil your pasta!! (follow package directions)

Of course, if your talented, you can always make your own pasta. Me? I'm just a novice, a weekend chef, with no idea how to even begin to make pasta at home.


Buon appetito!

NOTE: While this does sound good, it is untested. Once I have made it and eaten, I will post again to let you know.

Sautéed Haddock Fillets à la Meunière and Ratatouille pour Deux

Sautéed Haddock Fillets à la Meunière

2 fillets Haddock or other white-fleshed fish like sea bass, each about 6 ounces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp flour

1 lemon, sliced thin and swirled
1 lemon, cut in half and seeded
6 tbsp butter or margarine.
1 tbsp parsley

Season fillets with salt and pepper and lightly sprinkle with flour. Place a skillet large enough to hold fish in a single layer over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to pan. When oil starts to smoke, add fish and sauté, turning once, until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. (If fish starts to break apart, remove from heat.)

Add butter to pan, place over medium heat, add generous pinch of salt and allow butter to foam. When foam subsides and butter turns nut-brown, squeeze in all juice from lemon halves and add parsley. Swirl pan to blend sauce, spoon over fish and serve. Garnish with thin lemon slice, or lemon twist.

Ratatouille for Two

2 tbsp olive oil

1 red pepper, trimmed, deseeded and diced

1 yellow pepper, trimmed, deseeded and diced

1/2 red onion, peeled and chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely crushed

1 courgette, (squash), chopped into even-sized pieces

1 ripe tomato, skinned, deseeded and roughly chopped
6 shiitake mushroom caps, quartered
2 crimini mushrooms, chopped

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp basil*
1 tsp tarragon*

Pour the oil into a large, heavy-based pan and heat until hot. Sauté the peppers and onion for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and courgette and cook for another 5 minutes until nicely coloured. Stir in the tomato, mushrooms, vinegar, and seasoning to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender but still retain their shape. Finally, stir in the herbs.

*Substitute fresh basil and tarragon if you have it.

Dinner last night (Thursday 30 April)

Okay. First of all, I finally got my house back! (No, I wasn't foreclosed on.) My son, his girlfriend and her two kids finally moved out yesterday! Hurray! So, I got my house back. (My kitchen too!) Of course the wife and I are going to now have to spend our weekend cleaning from top to bottom. They were not the best house guest, to put it nicely. But they are gone, and now things can get back to normal, at least until the next time they decide they want to move back in!! (I'm going to have a 'No Vacancy" sign erected on my front lawn.)

But enough of that, on to dinner!

The recipe follows:

Rosemary Pan Seared Pork Chops


2 thick boneless pork loin chops (½” in to ¾” thick)
2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp margarine or butter

Rinse pork chops and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with fresh ground pepper.
In a deep non-stick skillet, add the olive oil and margarine/butter and bring to a simmer, (slightly smoking). Add the pork chops and rosemary. Chops should sizzle when added to pan. Brown, turning several times. Cook until done, about 3 to 4 minutes each side. (Internal temperature between 140º F to 160º F.)

Pan Fried Beef and Garlic Potatoes

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp margarine or butter
2 small cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup beef stock
2 small Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced thin

In a 3 quart sauté pan, add the olive oil and butter, over medium heat. Once butter is melted and oil beings to smoke, add garlic. Sauté for 1 minute. Add potatoes and stir around in mixture. When potatoes being to brown, about 5 minutes, slowly add stock. Bring to high heat. Stir occasionally. When stock is reduced, remove from heat. Potatoes will have a uniform brown coating.


Lemon Beurre Blanc

1 cup dry white wine
1 small shallot, chopped fine
salt and white pepper to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 stick soft whole butter, cubed (4 oz.)
½ tsp white wine or balsamic vinegar


Place wine, shallot, lemon juice and vinegar in a small saucepan, reduce by 2/3. Add cream*, bring to a boil and reduce by ½. Add soft butter, 2 to 3 pieces at a time, to pan, whisking over low heat. Heat pan and remove as butter starts to melt. Move pan around to melt butter. Return to low heat and add more butter. Keep whisking in butter until all pieces are used. Add salt and pepper to taste.

*The purist does not add the cream, however, it helps stabilize the sauce and incorporate the butter.


Pretty quick and easy, once the prep was done it took me less than 30 minutes to have dinner on.

There was one little drawback to the evening however. The chef had more wine than the food did, and ended up with a "slight" hangover this morning! Whoa! It was like the recipe should have gone more like this:

Rosemary Pan Seared Pork Chops


2 thick boneless pork loin chops (½” in to ¾” thick)
2 sprigs fresh Rosemary
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp margarine or butter

Rinse pork chops and pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides with fresh ground pepper.
In a deep non-stick skillet, add the olive oil and margarine/butter and bring to a simmer, (slightly smoking). Take a sip of wine. Add the pork chops and rosemary. Take another sip of wine. Chops should sizzle when added to pan. Brown, turning several times. Drink more wine. Cook until done, about 3 to 4 minutes each side. (Internal temperature between 140º F to 160º F.)

Pan Fried Beef and Garlic Potatoes

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp margarine or butter
2 small cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 cup beef stock
2 small Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced thin

In a 3 quart sauté pan, add the olive oil and butter, over medium heat. Take a sip of wine. Once butter is melted and oil beings to smoke, add garlic. Take another sip of wine. Sauté for 1 minute. Add potatoes and stir around in mixture. Take another sip of wine. When potatoes being to brown, about 5 minutes, slowly add stock. Refill wine glass and take a sip. Bring to high heat. Stir occasionally. Sip more wine. When stock is reduced, remove from heat. Take another sip of wine. Potatoes will have a uniform brown coating.


Lemon Beurre Blanc

1 cup dry white wine
1 or 2 bottles of Pinot Grigio
1 small shallot, chopped fine
salt and white pepper to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp heavy cream1 stick soft whole butter, cubed (4 oz.)
½ tsp white wine or balsamic vinegar


Place wine, shallot, lemon juice and vinegar in a small saucepan, reduce by 2/3. Take a sip of wine. Add cream*, bring to a boil and reduce by ½. Drink more wine. Add soft butter, 2 to 3 pieces at a time, to pan, whisking over low heat. Turn up the glass and chug it. Heat pan and remove as butter starts to melt. Refill glass and take a drink. Move pan around to melt butter. Take a drink, and another drink. Return to low heat and add more butter. Keep whisking in butter until all pieces are used. Refill glass and take a drink. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sit down and let someone else serve, you've done enough. Have a drink!

*The purist does not add the cream, however, it helps stabilize the sauce and incorporate the butter.