Chicken Saltimbocca with White Wine Reduction

“Leap into the mouth”—that’s the loose English translation of “saltimbocca” in Italian. And it makes perfect sense. This deliciously simple dish is loaded with inviting flavors—tender, lean chicken breast cutlets, thin strips of salty prosciutto, fresh sage leaves, and a quick pan-sear in a little fruity extra virgin olive oil all add up to a great flavor combination in every bite.

For this recipe, I finished the saltimbocca with a white wine pan reduction that comes together in the same pan as the chicken. Give the sauce about 10 minutes to reduce and concentrate its flavors, then spoon it over the saltimbocca and enjoy.

Note: I used a 17-inch cast-iron skillet to cook the chicken in one batch. If you use a smaller skillet, work in two batches so that the cutlets can cook evenly in a single layer.

And a tip: Wax paper is your friend here. Cut a few squares and prepare the wrapped chicken on them. The paper prevents the sticking that may occur on a glass plate or cutting board.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 8 chicken cutlets, 3-4 oz each, pounded to between 1/8- and 1/4-inch thick
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 thin slices prosciutto, long enough to wrap around the cutlets
• 16 medium sage leaves
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more as needed
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided, plus more as needed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Pounded Chicken Cutlet

Prosciutto di Parma 

Preparation

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and lay 2 sage leaves on each. Wrap one slice of prosciutto around each cutlet, pressing to adhere.

Chicken Ready for Prosciutto 

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken Cutlets 

Ready to Cook

1. Heat a very large (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter, swirling to blend. (Work in batches if the skillet will not hold all pieces in a single layer, and use more oil and butter as needed.)
2. Add the prosciutto-wrapped chicken seam-side down and cook until golden brown on the bottom, 3-4 minutes.
3. Turn the chicken over and cook until golden on the other side and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove the saltimbocca to a platter and keep warm.

Chicken Beginning to Cook

Chicken after Turning

1. Add the wine and broth to the pan. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, scraping up brown bits. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by about 1/3, 7-8 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve right away.

Chicken Saltimbocca with White Wine Reduction

Greek Salads with Blackened Shrimp Skewers

Among the signature dishes of any given cuisine, I think classic Greek salads rank near the top. The ingredients are simple, yet they have a special balance of flavors and textures that make them seem more complex.

Here, I stuck with tradition. Crunchy romaine lettuce (a fresh bunch, please—no bags), sweet stem tomato, cucumber, red onion, briny black and green olives and capers, green bell pepper, and feta cheese—a delectable combination.

Greek Salad Ingredients

Homemade vinaigrette is as easy as the salad: a little garlic and crushed oregano leaves, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and extra virgin olive oil. Light, fresh, and delicious.

To round out the salads, I served them with skewers of seared, blackened shrimp. Blackening is all about the seasoning—simple spices that add smoky, rich depth to quickly cooked seafood and meats. Here, I used black pepper, chile powder, and ground cumin and coriander. Give the shrimp 15 minutes to marinate in the spices, then sear in a hot pan—ready in less than five minutes.

Blackening Spices

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette

• 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp crushed dried oregano leaves
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Salads

• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp chile powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 12 large (21-25 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• olive oil, for drizzling and brushing
• sea salt
• fresh lemon juice, for drizzling
• 5-6 cups torn romaine lettuce
• 12-14 thin slices seedless cucumber
• 2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 small stem tomato, cut into 8 wedges
• 1/3 cup thin, short green bell pepper strips
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 tsp capers, rinsed
• assorted black and green Greek olives, to taste

Prepared Vegetables

Preparation

For the Vinaigrette

1. Combine the garlic, vinegar, mustard, and oregano in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil and season with salt and pepper.

Dijon Vinaigrette

For the Salads

1. Combine the black pepper, chile powder, cumin, and coriander in a bowl. Add the shrimp and drizzle with oil. Toss to coat the shrimp with spices on both sides. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
2. Thread 3 shrimp onto each of 4 skewers (short enough to lie flat in the pan).
3. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Season the shrimp with salt and sear until dark pink with slightly blackened spices on the bottom, 2-3 minutes.
4. Turn and sear until just cooked through, 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and drizzle with lemon juice.

Seasoned Shrimp

Shrimp Ready to Sear 

Shrimp Beginning to Sear 

Shrimp after Turning

Blackened Shrimp Skewers

Divide the lettuce between two dinner plates. Divide the remaining ingredients on top and drizzle with vinaigrette. Lay the shrimp skewers on top or serve alongside.

Greek Salad with Blackened Shrimp Skewers

Italian-Style Meatloaf with Mushroom and Fennel Sauce

Old-fashioned, classic comfort food is always a welcome sight on the dinner table, and meatloaf is a prime example. But there’s nothing “old” about it when you dress it up with flavors from one of the world’s most inviting cuisines: Italian.

In this recipe, the ingredients say Italy. A bit of ground fennel seed with fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley make the beef and pork mixture extra floral and flavorful. Pan-seared mushrooms and fennel in a simple fresh tomato and red wine sauce add a rich, slightly earthy, slightly sweet complement to a not-so-old-fashioned favorite.

Fennel Seeds 

Ground Fennel Seeds

Note: Like meatballs and other baked ground-meat dishes, meatloaf needs a binding agent (or two) to help it hold together and stay moist during cooking. In this recipe, fresh bread cubes soaked in milk provide that soft, gluey element to give the ground beef and pork and vegetables a tender, juicy finish. I used sourdough but any small-cubed white bread will do.

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf

• olive oil, for oiling baking dish
• 1 cup small sourdough bread cubes
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 lb ground chuck
• 2/3 lb ground pork
• 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup tomato puree (from a 10.75 oz. can)
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 tsp crushed fennel seed
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Small Sourdough Bread Cubes

For the Mushrooms and Fennel

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 8 oz. crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 medium fennel bulb, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced lengthwise (reserve portion of frond)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 8 oz grape tomatoes, quartered
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato puree (from a 10.75-oz. can)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 4 large basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
• 1 tsp chopped fennel frond

Sauce Vegetables

Cored Fennel and Frond

Sliced Fennel

Preparation

For the Meatloaf

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 11 X 7-inch baking dish.
2. Place the bread cubes in a bowl and cover with milk, pressing down to cover all. Soak for 15 minutes.

Milk-Soaked Bread

1. Place the ground chuck, ground pork, and next 7 ingredients (through fennel seed) in a large bowl. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread cubes and add to the meat mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Combine the ingredients, mixing gently with your fingers. (Don’t overwork it—try to keep it light and airy.) Form the mixture into about a 9 X 4-1/2-inch rectangle and place in the oiled dish.

Ingredients without Bread

Soaked Bread Added 

Meatloaf Ready to Bake

1. Bake uncovered until browned and just cooked through, 50-55 minutes. Remove and let rest 5 minutes.

Baked Meatloaf

To serve, cut the meatloaf into 8 slices and place 2 slices on each of 4 plates. Spoon the mushrooms and fennel in tomato sauce (recipe follows) on top and alongside and serve right away.

For the Mushrooms and Fennel

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and fennel and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook until some of the liquid has evaporated and the vegetables are tender, stirring frequently, 7-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Do not wipe out the skillet.

Mushrooms and Fennel Beginning to Cook

Cooked Vegetables

1. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the fresh tomatoes and garlic and cook, stirring and mashing lightly, until they begin to break down and release juices, 5 minutes.
2. Add the tomato puree and wine and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook 10 minutes.
3. Return the mushrooms and fennel to the skillet and stir in the basil and fennel frond. Cover and cook over low heat 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning before serving.

Tomatoes and Garlic Beginning to Cook 

Cooked Tomatoes 

Cooked Tomato Sauc 

Mushroom and Fennel Sauce

Italian-Style Meatloaf with Mushroom and Fennel Sauce

Hot-and-Sour Chicken with Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients for stir-fries are as varied and numerous as the cooks who make them. Nearly any vegetable is a tasty contender—simply cut them for quick cooking and add them to the wok in the order of longest to least time needed.

Whole or halved Brussles sprouts typically benefit from a bit of time steaming or pan-roasting, but cut into thin slices, sprouts are as easy to stir-fry as bite-sized pieces of any other vegetable.

Sauces for stir-fries are usually bold-flavored and may be hot, sweet, sour, salty, or savory—or all of the above. The sauce in this recipe gets its heat from sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste) and sourness from the vinegar and lime juice. Sugar tempers the hot and sour ingredients with a little sweetness.

Two keys to stir-fry: Make the sauce first and set it aside so that’s it ready to go toward the end of cooking. Cut all the vegetables and meats into similar bite-sized pieces before turning on the heat. Once the wok is hot, dinner comes together quickly.

Also check out Chicken Stir-Fry with Pineapple and Pecans, Grilled Beef and Vegetable Stir-Fry with Mandarin Orange Sauce, and Shrimp and Broccoli with Black Bean Sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• juice of 1 whole lime
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp cornstarch 

Hot and Sour Sauce Ingredients

For the Chicken and Brussels Sprouts

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into thin 1-inch strips
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp peanut oil, divided
• 8 oz Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, cut lengthwise into very thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick
• 3 Thai chiles, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced, (white and green parts separated)
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut into thin 1-inch strips
• cooked rice noodles, for serving

Trimmed Sprouts 

Sliced Sprouts 

Other Stir-Fry Ingredients

Prepped Vegetables and Aromatics

Preparation

For the Sauce

1. Whisk the first 7 ingredients (through sesame oil) in a medium bowl. 
2. Whisk the water and cornstarch in a separate bowl. Set aside and whisk again just before using.

Hot and Sour Sauce

For the Chicken and Brussels Sprouts

1. Place the chicken in a bowl and sprinkle with cornstarch. Toss or stir to coat.
2. Heat a wok (or deep skillet) over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Add the chicken and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Remove to a bowl and wipe out the wok.

Cornstarch Coated Chicken 

Chicken Beginning to Cook

Stir-Fried Chicken

1. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of peanut oil to the wok and add the Brussels sprouts, Thai chiles, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry 3 minutes.
2. Add the white parts of the scallions and red bell pepper. Stir-fry 3 minutes.
3. Return the chicken to the pan and add the sauce. Stir-fry 1 minute. Re-whisk the water and cornstarch and stir into the wok mixture. Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.

Sprouts Mixture Beginning to Cook 

Stir-Fried Sprouts Mixture 

Bell Pepper and Scallions Added

Thickened Sauce

To serve, divide the noodles among 4 shallow bowls or plates. Divide the chicken mixture on top and garnish with the dark green parts of the scallions. Serve right away.

Hot-and-Sour Chicken with Brussels Sprouts