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CHEF:
Maurizio
Paparo
WITH
THE INN SINCE:
In
1993, Maurizio purchased the Excelsior Café and reopened
as the Excelsior Inn Ristorante Italiano. His culinary
career spans 30 years.
STARTED
IN THE KITCHEN: Maurizio
began his culinary education at the young age of 14,
apprenticing at a hospitality school in Florence, Italy.
TRAINING/EXPERIENCE:
Maurizio
trained with various chefs and cooked in a variety of
restaurants in Florence and Tuscany. For two years,
he catered exclusive Haute Couture fashion shows. Maurizio
specialized and is certified in Italy and the United
States in Ice Cream Making/Certified Dairy Operator,
Technical Wine Courses and Food Pairing/Certified Bartending
and Hospitality Management. He has owned culinary businesses
in California and Hawaii before coming to Eugene. In
the early 1980’s, Maurizio mastered the art of making
Gelato and operated the first national gourmet frozen
dessert company, located in San Francisco.
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| LIST
ANY AWARDS OR PUBLICATIONS:
Maurizio has recipes published in Gourmet Magazine, Best
Recipes from American Country Inns and Bed & Breakfasts
by Kitty & Lucian Maynard, among others.
FAVORITE
INGREDIENT: Tomatoes. There are so many delicious varieties
of tomatoes. They are versatile; there is no limit to
the different ways you can cook and serve them. Tomatoes
were originally an American crop, but the Italians were
the ones who knew what to do with them!
FOOD
PHILOSOPHY: I prepare meals using the freshest of local,
organic ingredients, just like I did in Florence. Seasonings,
herbs and sauces should only enhance the flavor, not
interfere with the natural flavors of the dish.
INSPIRATION:
I have always understood food to be the nourishment
of life. Besides preserving the nutritional value, you
want to take time to enjoy your meal and find a nice
wine to pair with it. You can learn more about the Slow
Food Movement, whose mission is to “revive the pleasures
of the table, using our taste buds as our guide,” by
visiting our Excelsior website:
click
here
ANYTHING
ELSE? Don’t
be a snob about food and wine by making it an unapproachable
subject. Food and wine is to be enjoyed by all. Start
somewhere; make it simple. Start with a table wine to
accompany a simple meal made with fresh, organic, local
ingredients. Perhaps use a little olive oil, and garlic
(rule of thumb: no more than one small clove per person)
for flavor. As you develop an interest in learning more
about food and wine pairing, you may want to visit some
of our regional wineries for tasting. Then, select your
favorite reds and whites to accompany a variety of meals
at home.
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| Excelsior
Inn Ristorante Italiano & Brindiamo Catering -- Chef
Maurizio Paparo’s Agnello al Forno
Ingredients:
1 leg of lamb (4-5 lb.), boned and butterflied
1/4 C dried oregano
1/2 C olive oil
1/4 C fresh rosemary, fine chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 C kalamata olives, pitted
1 tsp. salt and chopped very fine
2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
Directions:
Combine the olive oil, garlic, oregano, rosemary and olives.
On the inside of the butterflied leg of lamb, spread the
mixture and refrigerate for at least four (4) hours. Remove
from the refrigerator 1/2 hour before cooking. Pre-heat
oven to 350 degrees. Roll and tie the leg; salt and pepper.
Place the leg on a roasting rack. Cook until the temperature
reaches 125-130 degrees for medium. Remove and allow the
leg to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Arrange leg
of lamb on an oval platter and serve with roasted potatoes
and vegetable (artichokes, suggested).
Chef
Maurizio Paparo’s Tiramisu`
Ingredients:
8 Eggs, with yolks & whites separated
30 Lady Fingers, approximately
1 lb. Mascarpone Cheese
4 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate
2 C Espresso, cold
Cocoa Powder, Dutch processed, sifted for garnish
2/3 C Brandy
Directions: Mix the sugar into the egg yolks until smooth.
Add a little Mascarpone at a time; set aside. In another
bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently
fold the creamed mixture into the egg whites, and spread
about 1/3 of this mixture into a 4-6 quart glass baking
dish or serving bowl. Place the espresso and brandy in
a mixing bowl. Quickly dip one Lady Finger at a time into
the espresso/brandy and lay it on top to cover mixture
in the baking dish; top with grated chocolate. Place 1/3
of the mixture on top of the lady fingers and cover with
another layer of espresso/brandy dipped Lady Fingers and
grated chocolate. Repeat with the last 1/3 layer and dust
with cocoa powder. Chill at least two (2) hours (6-8 best).
Serve on a cold plate. |
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