Chicken, Turkey, or Veal Saltimbocca

Saltimbocca

Just typing the name makes my mouth water!  I find when ordering it in restaurants, I just hate, I'll say it again, I hate getting the meat with toothpicks in it.  It looks sloppy, it is a pain in the ass to get them out and by the time that you do, the sage has fallen off the meat and what was the point!

My solution to this dilemma is to sandwich the sage between the prosciutto and the cutlet.  That way, there are no toothpicks and no hassles eating this yummy concoction.

cutlets of the protein of your choice
fresh Sage leaves
thin slices of Prosciutto, enough to cover one side of all your protein
salt and pepper to taste
whole garlic cloves
white wine

ready to plate

1 T butter
lemon juice
chopped Italian parsley

Set Oven to warm and/or lowest setting.

Choose your meat....chicken, turkey, or veal.

Using plastic wrap, lay down on piece on your cutting board and have another one ready to top the meat.  This is going to be a pain because the wrap will stick to itself.  Be patient, it is worth it!

Dry off top of the cutlet, if necessary.  A damp bottom is not a problem.

If your pieces of meat are not uniformly thin, no worries, in the whacking process all will be evened out.  Lay fresh sage leaves on top of the cutlet and top with prosciutto.  Make sure to cover the cutlet completely.  Fold up any hanging bits of prosciutto.  Cover with the plastic wrap and whack using a heavy object...meatpounder, rolling pin, wine bottle, whatever you have handy.  Whack it until it is as thin as you would like.

nice with a pinot noir

**Editorial note:  Don't go too thin, it will shred and not look nice in the end.

Peel back the top layer of plastic, remove the cutlet and repeat as necessary to complete for all of your protein.

Heat a non-stick saute pan and spread on a thin layer of olive oil, cooking spray, or fat of your choice (butter is nice too!).  Throw in the whole garlic cloves, they will cook as the cutlets do.  Saute prosciutto side down first, do not crowd pan, so you will need to work in batches.  Salt and pepper the non-prosciutto side before you flip when the bottom is nicely browned and brown the other side.  Remove cutlets and garlic to an oven safe plate and put in oven to keep warm until you finish the sauce.

When all cutlets are browned, deglaze the pan with some white wine.  Taste the sauce, if it is too winey, then cut it with some water.  Reduce to a consistency that pleases you.  Add the tablespoon of butter and swirl into the sauce.  You may not have to salt or pepper the sauce so hold off until after it is reduced.  There should be enough sauce to nap the cutlets, not to drown them.  A squeeze of lemon will be nice as well.

Plate, dust with some parsley, if desired, and enjoy with a nice glass of wine!

Dinner out of nothing

This is my favorite way to cook.
Step 1, open fridge door, scour the shelves, take out what is about to die, open freezer hunt for some protein.
Step 2, put all of the things on the counter, contemplate the possibilities
Step 3, grab a couple of pans from the cabinet, chop an onion, chop some garlic and create a base for whatever I've got.

1.  What was in the fridge today:
Jerusalem artichokes, yukon gold potatoes, and a red cabbage  From freezer swordfish steaks.

2.  How to use these things:
Tonight's dinner will consist of roasted Jerusalem Artichokes, braised red cabbage, steamed potatoes, and sauteed swordfish steaks.

The artichokes roasted with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  The cabbage was combined with an onion, couple of garlic cloves sliced, some fennel seeds, cumin, salt, pepper, red pepper, olive oil and pour of white wine to deglaze.  The potatoes were steamed.  Fish was marinated for about 30 min. in lemon rind, garlic slices, olive oil and a small squeeze of lemon juice then pan sauteed.

Out of nothing came something delicious.

The fish was absolutely awesome.  The cabbage turned out very tasty and the dark color was a nice juxtaposition on the plate of lighter colors.  I'm not so sold on Jerusalem artichokes.  They shriveled to little brown plugs, starchy in taste but nothing that I would rave about...  Everything else on the plate was delicious.

Editorial Plug:

I have to say that the fish from Fresh Direct is always, and I mean always, fantastic.  I know it sounds counter intuitive to order fish online, but my experience for the last 5 or 6 years is excellent.  I've always gotten very fresh fish prepped to my specifications.  So if you have been hesitating....don't!