Parmigiano Reggiano "Flatbread" with Ribeye, Porcini and Heirloom Tomatoes

Almost all of the "Chef Bolek Original" recipes are posted after I have made them for the first time.  There is no test kitchen.  There are no repeats to see if I can do a better job.  Some recipes are complete disasters, and, those never see the light of day.  Other recipes are okay, and, I usually post them with a few caveats.  And, every one in a while, I have a very successful Chef Bolek Original.

Recently, I was trying to think of recipes for what we had in our refrigerator.  One thing that caught my attention was the bowl full of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.  I knew of various recipes for Parmesan Crisps, but, I had way too much grated cheese to make crisps.  

So then my mind turned to a "flatbread" made entirely of Parmigiano Reggiano.  This idea was both intriguing and risky.  I had never heard of a "flatbread" made of anything other than bread.  Yet, Parmigiano Reggiano is rather salty, which means that you would need to make sure whatever tops the "flatbread" can offset the saltiness of the cheese.  Ultimately, I decided to plate a salad, with porchini mushrooms and slices of heirloom tomatoes.  I also decided that I would put slices of ribeye on top as well.  

Overall, this dish turned out well.  The one thing that I did not add to this recipe that I would definitely add the next time I make it is a good drizzle of aged balsamic vinegard.  The fruitness of the vinegar will offset the saltiness of the cheese very well.

PARMIGIANO REGGIANO "FLATBREAD" WITH RIBEYE

PORCINI AND HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

A Chef Bolek Original

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:
1 grass-fed ribeye steak, about 1 pound
2 cups of mixed greens
1/2 to 1 heirloom tomato
1/4 to 1/2 cup of dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of Sangiovese wine
2 cloves of garlic, diced finely
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, chopped finely
2 teaspoons of dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
Finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Sea salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.  Prepare the marinade for the steak.  Add the red wine, garlic, rosemary, 1 teaspoon of the dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper to a bowl.  Add the ribeye and make sure that it is coated with the mixture.

2.  Rehydrate the Mushrooms.  Heat the chicken broth over medium heat.  Once the broth is heated, add the dried porcini mushrooms to rehydrate.  After about five minutes strain the mushrooms and set aside.

3.  Cook the steak.  Cook the ribeye under the broiler for about eight to ten minutes per side or until cooked to the desired doneness.  Let the steak rest for fifteen minutes.

4.  Make the Parmigiano Reggiano flatbread.  Line a cooking tray with parchment paper.  Brush the paper with extra virgin olive oil.  Place a spoonful of the grated Parmigiano Reggiano in the middle of the paper and use the spoon to gently spread out the cheese until it is a consistent thickness. Repeat along the edges of the cheese until you have reached the desired size of the flatbread.  Sprinkle the remaining thyme and crushed red pepper over the cheese.  Add the cheese to the oven.  Cook until golden brown, anywhere from five to ten minutes depending upon the size of the "flatbread." 

5.  Plate the dish.  Prepare the "flatbread" by placing it on a plate.  Place the mixed greens in the middle of the "flatbread."  Sprinkle the mushrooms and tomatoes over the greens.  Slice the ribeye and place slices over the greens.

 PAIRING THIS RECIPE

The principal component of this dish is two-fold: ribeye steak and the Parmigiano Reggiano flatbread.  Given Parmigiano Reggiano is perhaps one of the signature foods of Emilia-Romagna, I think that the most appropriate pairing for this dish is a wine from that region.  A Sangiovese di Romagna is very much like a Tuscan Sangiovese, which can stand up to not only the "flatbread," but also the steak, which has been flavored with a marinade that draws from the flavors of Tuscany, such as rosemary and garlic.  The wine belows is one Sangiovese di Romagna that I have previously reviewed.

Collina dei Lecci -- Sangiovese di Romagna Reserva (2004).

85% Sangiovese, 15% other

Emilia Romagna, Italy

Flavors of cherries and raspberries

ENJOY!

Pollo alla Marsala (Chicken Marsala)

The namesake of Pollo alla Marsala, or Chicken Marsala, is Marsala wine.  I've used the wine in my cooking, adding it to dishes as the recipe would require, but I never took the time to understand and appreciate the wine.  So, when I decided to make Chicken Marsala as the main course of a Christmas party for some friends, I decided that I would take the time to learn about and understand the key ingredient to this ubiquitous dish.

One could say that Marsala is Italy's version of Port, Sherry or Madeira, but, other than the fact that Marsala is a fortified wine like Port, that would be a gross oversimplification. Marsala originated in the town, aptly named Marsala, which is located in western Sicily. Local producers make Marsala from Grillo grapes, as well as Catarrato and Inzolia grapes.  These are white grapes and produce an amber or golden Marsala.  Producers add  local red grapes -- such as Nero d'Avola, Calabrese and Pignatello grapes -- to make Marsala wine that is red in color.  

Producers classify Marsala wine by age, alcohol content, color and flavor.  The most common classification is Fine, which is aged for one year.  Marsala Fine is ordinarily used for cooking.  By contrast, Marsala Superiore Riserva is the type of Marsala wine that would be served as an aperitif or used in deserts.  And, then there are the vintage blends, like Vergine Soleras and Vergine Stravecchio.  But that would best be left for another post.

Returning to the recipe, Chicken Marsala seems to be everywhere.  Most Italian restaurants have this dish on their menu and I have had it at a lot of restaurants.  Few of the Chicken Marsala dishes that I've had have been memorable; more often than not, they were pedestrian.  My goal was to try to make a memorable Chicken Marsala dish without having to use an expensive bottle of Marsala. I made this dish for a party of more than twelve people and decided to serve it family-style, so the picture shows a lot more food than the recipe will produce. 

POLLO ALLA MARSALA
Adapted from Tyler Florence's recipe
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of skinless chicken breasts
1/4 pound of Proscuitto di Parma, thinly sliced
1/4 pound of porcini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of Marsala wine
1/2 cup of chicken stock
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
All purpose flour, for dredging
1 tablespoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt, to taste
Ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them.  Using the flat part of a meat mallet (or a rolling pin) and flatten the chicken until it is about 1/4 inch thick.  (As an alternative, most stores sell thin-cut chicken breasts, and you can use those without having to go through the process of flattening them.)

2. Put some flour in a small bowl and season it with the dried thyme, crushed red pepper, salt and ground pepper, then mix it thoroughly.

3.  Heat the oil over medium high in a large skillet.  Dredge the chicken cutlets on both sides in the flour and then add them to the skillet.  Add enough so that they fit comfortably in the skillet.  Do not overcrowd the chicken.  You can do multiple batches if necessary.  Fry each piece of chicken for five minutes on each side until golden, turning once.

4.  Remove all of the chicken to a large platter, in a single layer to keep warm.

5.  Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in then pan.  Saute for about a minute to render out some of the fat.  Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are browned and have lost their moisture. Season with salt and pepper, and a little more dried thyme if you desire.

6.  Pour the Marsala into the pan and boil down for a couple of minutes to cook out the alcohol.  Add the chicken stock and continue to simmer to reduce the sauce slightly.  Add the butter, and stir until it is incorporated into the sauce.

7.  Add the chicken to heat it through.  Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve the chicken immediately, topped with a little chopped parsley. 

ENJOY!

For more about Marsala wine, check out Wikipedia.

Risotto dei Maiali che Cercano i Tartufi

After having made Seafood Risotto and Risotto dello Zafferano con il Calamaro ed i Pettini, I decided to make a risotto with meat.  A lot of meat. This recipe includes two types of pork: pancetta and rubbed black forest bacon.  However, the meat is balanced by the use of mushrooms and sage.  

Finally, I decided to use truffles.  Well, not actual truffles, because those sell for about $100 a pound.  Instead, I used a little truffle oil, which provides the hint of that earthy ingredient.  

For me, this recipe represents the first time that I let my creativity go wild.  As I made this recipe, I pictured pigs hunting through the forest for mushrooms and the elusive truffle.  You can taste the truffle, but you cannot find it.  This picture led to the name -- "Risotto dei Maiali che Cerchano i Tarfufi" -- roughly translates as the Risotto of Pigs Hunting Truffles.

RISOTTO DEI MAIALI CHE CERCHANO I TARTUFI
Serves 2-3
A Chef Bolek Original

Ingredients:
1/4 pound of pancetta, diced
1/3 pound of black forest bacon, diced
1 package of dried porcini mushrooms (rehydrated, with mushroom liqueur reserved)
1 cup of arborio rice
3 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of white wine (I used Orvieto, a very good Umbrian wine)
1 package of sage
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 clove shallots, diced
1/2 medium-sized sweet onion, diced
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Truffle oil

Directions:

1.  Rehydrate the porcini mushrooms in a bowl of warm water for about 15 minutes.  Remove the mushrooms and set aside.  Strain the liquid and reserve it for use later.

2.  Combine the chicken stock and reserved mushroom liquor in a pot on high.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Then add the crushed red pepper and a few sage leaves.  Stir and heat until it is very warm but do not let it boil.  

3.  Heat a medium sized pot on medium.  Add pancetta and saute for about four to five minutes. You want to cook the pancetta for a while to draw out the fat, which will help to cook the rest of the risotto.  Stir occasionally to avoid burning the pancetta. After the fat is drawn out, which takes about 5 minutes, add the onion, shallots and garlic.  Saute these ingredients for about 4-5 minutes, allowing them to sweat and to mix the flavors with the pancetta.  Stir occasionally to avoid anything from burning.

4.  Now, add the arborio rice.  Stir the rice to make sure that it is coated with the pancetta, onion, shallot, and garlic.  All of the rice should be covered.  You should mix it only for only about a minute or so.  Then, add 1 cup of white wine.  Allow the wine to be absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally to ensure that it does not burn on the bottom of the pot.

5.  Once the wine is almost absorbed (but not entirely), add about a cup of the chicken stock/mushroom liquor to the rice and continue to stir occasionally.  Once this liquid is absorbed by the rice, add another cup.  Continue to add the stock/liqueur until the arborio rice is al dente (tender but not too crisp). 

6.  When the arborio rice is becoming tender, heat a separate pan on high.  Add the bacon and begin to saute the bacon.  After 3-4 minutes, add the mushrooms and sage.  Continue to cook the bacon, mushrooms and sage for another 3-4 minutes. 

7.  When the arborio rice is al dente and the bacon is cooked through, combine the bacon/mushroom/sage mixture with the arborio rice and stir it very well.  Drizzle olive oil infused with truffles over the risotto and mix it again very well.  Plate it by spooning a large amount into a bowl.

ENJOY!