Dining in--Minneapolis/St. Paul cookbook

plates. Float several meringues on top of the sauce. Garnish each plate with a mint leaf. We make our own baked goods and croissants and a few special desserts such as this one. The dessert list is small; we'd rather do three or four things and do them well. Vror See) a. A ae tus Lit eee Stk ArUun ¥) — of TE Tes nr 7 7 ae - . pe q nas Yates ives & i. ss api i Pays gh TMbi ty ® ; L ) H ; 5) ‘ ‘ Bie aun av 7 - ry oe yn i! ; his That eee cmatt ie : - | = = ’ 9 oO ene - oe Dinner for Six Fresh Broccoli Mousse with Mushroom Sauce Spinach Salad with Vinaigrette Muffuletta Fresh Scallops in Vouvray and Cream Pears Poached in Wine Wine: Chateau Ste Michelle Johannisberg Riesling Philip Roberts and Peter Mihajlov, Owners Bill Demmer, Manager Rick Boschee, Chef a decorator, Phil Roberts often had the opportunity to A design restaurants, but as he says, “Somewhere I crossed over the path, and the restaurant business fascinated me more than design.” Longtime friend Peter Mihajlov’s experience was largely limited to visiting many of the nation’s top restaurants in the course of business travels. “We knew nothing about the business except that we liked to eat in nice places,” the two partners now admit. However, when in 1976 an ideal location fell their way, they looked each other in the eye: “It’s now or never.” Thus was Muffuletta restaurant born. They transformed a plywood-and-formica truck stop into a dining room of uptown chic. Its simple design scheme plays butcher block and breuer chairs in tones of toast against daisy-bright touches of white and yellow, softened by candles and flowers, hanging plants, and gentle currents of classical music. High shelves hold jars of pasta, cartons of Perrier, and tins of pomidoro—“a working storeroom that has a certain honesty.” Honesty and genuine pride in food preparation and its artful display are the hallmarks here. “We use nothing but the freshest foods,” attests manager Bill Demmer. “We send back whole crates of strawberries if only one berry is bad. We want our procurers to realize that we won’t settle for less than the very best.” These standards of excellence also extend to Muffuletta’s staff. “I shudder to think of the amount of training dollars spent, but we get it all back: our staff is so proud of where they work. We think of them as people first, employees second, telling them, “You are the vital link—the reputation of the restaurant lies with you. ~ The cuisine at Muffuletta knows no narrow ethnic bounds. It deliberately skirts such labels as French, Italian, or New Orleans—although its name is derived from that city’s famous sandwich—so that its menu features a diverse variety of specialties. The restaurant’s wine list is equally eclectic. “It’s the emergence of a great new cuisine—the American Renaissance,” explains Peter. “And Muffuletta is committed to being a leader in this emergence,” Phil pledges. “Call it ‘nouvelle American.’ Our philosophy of ‘special dishes from special places’ gives us a gigantic playground.” 2260 Como Avenue St. Paul N= FRESH BROCCOLI MOUSSE WITH MUSHROOM SAUCE Butter Cracked black pepper 1 pound broccoli florets Juice of 2 lemon with Y2”" stems 4 eggs 1% cups whipping cream MUSHROOM SAUCE Dash of nutmeg (see next page) . Preheat oven to 425°. Butter six individual molds. . Bring salted water to a boil in a saucepan. Blanch the broccoli in the boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove immediately and cool in ice water to retain bright green color. Drain well. . Bring the cream to boiling in a skillet. Add the nutmeg, several grinds of pepper, lemon juice, and broccoli. Reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes. . Purée the broccoli/cream mixture together in an electric blender. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.