On Count Rostov's Plate: Chicken Saltimbocca

1922, sometimes referred to as the "year that sealed the fate of Russia." It had been five years since the October Revolution, which led to the overthrow (and execution) of the Tsar and his family. The revolution turned into a civil war between the "reds" (the Bolsheviks, who supported Marxism) and the "whites" (those who favored other ideologies). However, by 1922, the civil war was over and the Bolsheviks and their Communist Party had control over Russia for almost one year. The leader of the Communist Party, Vladimir Lenin, had been looking back over the year and making plans for the future. the tide clearly favored the reds by 1922; and, their leader, Vladimir Lenin, was making plans for the future. He laid out those plans at the 11th Congress of the Russian Communist Party met between March 27 and April 2, 1922. 

It was also at the 11th Congress that Josef Stalin began his rise through the ranks, being appointed as the Communist Party's first Secretary General.  One month later, Lenin would suffer a stroke, and Stalin would take over Lenin's health care. Thus, by May 1922, Russia's path toward a communist economy and totalitarian state was sealed, as was its fate. 

Just one month later, so was the fate of the (fictional) Count Alexander Iliych Rostov. Summoned before the Emergency Committee of the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs, the Count had to answer for his past and his status. The committee ultimately found that the Count guilty of succumbing to the corruptions of his class, and, it sentenced him to house arrest. (For more details, you should buy and read the book.) The Count would live out the rest of his life at the Metropol hotel.

After returning to the hotel, and after having been shown his new arrangements, the Count made his way to the Boyarsky restaurant. The restaurant had Moscow's "most elegant decor, its most sophisticated waitstaff, and its most subtle chef de cuisine," Chef Emile Zhukovsky. The maitre d' sat Alexander at a table and he waited for his first meal since being confined to the hotel. 

The Boyarsky

Sitting at his table, Alexander waited for his first meal. Yet, to put it in context, Author Amor Towles excellently laid the groundwork for readers as they also waited. As Towles wrote: 

In the Revolution's aftermath - with its economic declines, failed crops, and halted trade - refined ingredients became as scare in Moscow as butterflies at sea. The Metropol's larder was depleted bushel by bushel, pound by pound, dash by dash, and its chef was left to meet the expectations of his audience with cornmeal, cauliflower, and cabbage - that is to say, with whatever he could get his hands on.

(Pg. 27.) That was the life of most everyone in 1922. Still reeling from years of war, the early days of Communist Russia were often characterized by shortages, especially when it came to food. 

This scarcity meant that, while Alexander may have ordered a specific dish, the meal he received may not be entirely consistent with his expectations. This point was underscored by Towles' description of the meal served to the Count:

a saltimbocca fashioned from necessity. In place of a cutlet of veal, Emile had pounded flat a breast of chicken. In place of prosciutto de Parma, he had shaved a Ukrainian ham. And in place of sage, that delicate leaf that binds the flavors together? He had opted for an herb that was as soft and aromatic as sage, but more bitter to the taste.... It wasn't basil or oregano, of that the Count was certain, but he had definitely encountered it somewhere before....

(Pg. 27.) The herb was nettle. Substitution became an essential part of cooking and eating. Unable to get the necessary ingredients, due to the lack of trade, the chef had to make due with what he could find. Rather than complain, the Count made the best of his circumstances and enjoyed the dish.  

Stinging Nettle Leaves (Source: Food52)

For my first post, I wanted to prepare the chicken saltimbocca in the same manner as Chef Zhukovsky. The chef had to make three substitutions: (1) chicken for veal; (2) Ukrainian ham for prosciutto; and (3) nettle for sage. I found myself in the identical position as the Chef, but for entirely different reasons. I did not face any shortages of veal, prosciutto or sage. I could easily go to any store and purchase those ingredients. I faced a shortage of what Chef Zhukovsky had on hand, namely Ukrainian ham and nettles. I made some efforts to find these ingredients, but with no success.

In the end, I decided to take a chicken saltimbocca recipe from the New York Times and made some modifications to produce a recipe that, if I had the ingredients, I could make. I nevertheless made the recipe anyways, using what I have on hand. Hence, a saltimbocca made with chicken, prosciutto and sage. 

CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA

Recipe adapted from The New York Times

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds of boneless chicken breast cut into 4 ounce pieces
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of chopped nettle, plus 24 large nettle leaves (substitute sage)
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed to a paste
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper (optional)
• Olive oil
• 6 thin slices Ukrainian ham (substitute prosciutto or other thinly sliced ham)
• 6 slices of fontina cheese

Directions:

1.  Prepare the chicken. Using a meat mallet, pound the chicken to flatten a bit. Salt and pepper each piece on both sides and place on a plater. Sprinkle with chopped nettle (or sage), garlic, red pepper flakes (if using) and olive oil. Massage in the seasoning to distribute, cover and marinate at room temperature for one hour, or refrigerate for up to several hours). 

2. Crisp the nettle (sage). Heat a wide skillet over medium heat and add 3 teaspoons olive oil. When the oil looks wavy, add the nettle (sage) leaves and let them crisp for about 30 seconds. Remove and drain. 

3. Brown the chicken. Brown the chicken breasts in the oil for about 2 minutes per side, then transfer to a baking dish large enough to fit them in one layer.

4. Broil the chicken. Top each piece with 2 sage leaves, a slice of Ukrainian ham (or prosciutto) and a slice of cheese. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Garnish with the remaining nettle (or sage) leaves. 

Postscript: I know the chicken breast is a little thick for chicken saltimbocca. I could not find my meat mallet. Apparently, it had been seized as property of the people and now it is lost. 

Post-Postscript: On a more serious note, by the end of 1922, the Soviet Union emerges with the compact between Russia, Belarussia, Ukraine and the Caucusus states (Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan). Stalin is also on his way to consolidating power. 

Until next time...

PEACE.

Chicken Saltimbocca

As the story goes, the dish known as Saltimbocca originated in Rome.   The story seems kind of sketchy, because one of the featured ingredients - Prosciutto - does not hail from Rome or the province of Lazio, where the capital is located.  Prosciutto comes from two places.  First, there is Prosciutto di Parma, which comes from the region of Emilia Romagna.  Second, there is Prosciutto di San Daniele, which comes from Friuli-Venezia-Giulia.  Given that prosciutto comes from places other than Rome, it made me a little skeptical of the story. 

So, I did my research.  According to one source, the dish of Saltimbocca came from Brescia, which is in Lombardy.  That source also traced the recipe to its first written origin, which was an "influential book" published toward the end of the 19th century by Pellegrino Artusi, an Italian chef.  Chef Artusi included a recipe for "Saltimbocca alla Romana" as Recipe No. 222 in his book.  He also claimed to have the dish at a trattoria named "La Venete" in Rome. 

On additional note about the history of Saltimbocca.  In Rome, Saltimbocca is most commonly prepared with veal.  The recipe adapted as it made its way to America with Italian immigrants, who prepared it with chicken instead of veal.  Chicken is far more commonplace in the United States and is far cheaper than veal. 

I found a recipe for Chicken Saltimbocca in a cookbook by Mario Batali, America Farm to Table.  The recipe looked simple enough to prepare on a busy weekday night, and it included a pan sauce with mushrooms that looked delicious.   

As I made this recipe, I would note a couple of observations.  First, the marsala wine.  One could buy a nice bottle of Marsala wine, which I am sure would make a difference in the final product.  I did not want to spend a lot of money on a wine that I don't drink and, to be honest, don' t cook with very often.  So, I got a store-bought version that probably barely resembles marsala wine.  The cheaper version worked just fine.  Second, the recipe calls for cremini and oyster mushrooms.  That is definitely a good pairing of mushrooms, but I could not find any oyster mushrooms when I went shopping.   The thing about fungi is that they are, for the most part, fungible.  I bought some shiitake mushrooms and they worked just as well as the oyster mushrooms.  

In the end, I can see why Chicken Saltimbocca is a very popular dish.  The flavors from the chicken, sage and prosciutto, enhanced by the sauce and, in this preparation, the tender mushrooms, made for a very enjoyable dinner.   

CHICKEN SALTIMBOCCA

Recipe from Wedge Oak Farm

Printed in Mario Batali, America Farm to Table, pg. 176

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs,

8 large fresh sage leaves

8 large slices prosciutto

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound of a mix of cremini and oyster or shiitake mushrooms, 

     cut into 1/4 inch pieces

1 cup sweet marsala wine

1/2 cup of chicken stock

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 bunch fresh, flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (1/4 cup)

Directions:

1.  Prepare the chicken. Place the flour in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.  Lightly pound the chicken thighs to 1/4 inch thickness.  Season with salt and pepper and lay a sage leaf on each thigh.  lay 1 slice of prosciutto over each thigh and fold in half like a book.  Secure the two sides with a toothpick and dredge the whole piece in the seasoned flour. 

2.  Saute the chicken.  In a 12 to 14 inch saute pan, heat the oil until just smoking.  Add the chicken and saute until golden brown on both sides, then transfer to a plate.  Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook until the mushrooms have sweated out their liquid, 5 to 6 minutes.  Add the marsala and chicken stock and cook over high heat until reduced by half.  Return the chicken thighs to the an with the sauce and simmer for 3 minutes.  Swirl in the butter, add the parsley and serve. 

ENJOY!

Spicy Pork Sausage Sandwiches

Every year, the Savage Boleks host a Super Bowl party; and, for our seventh such party -- Savage Boleks Super Bowl Party VII -- we decided to prepare a recipe from each of the cities or states represented by the two teams playing in the big game.  Super Bowl XLVIII was a contest between Seattle and Denver.  The obvious choice for Seattle is a salmon burger, and, I found a recipe for Salmon Burgers from Pike's Place Market.  The only question was what would me make that represents Denver or the State of Colorado.

I did some research for sandwiches or snacks that are quintessential Denver or Colorado.  My efforts produced of videos of people eating fried Rocky Mountain oysters.  Needless to say, I don't have access to those "oysters" and, even if I did, I do not think I would have had guests willing to eat them.  Bottom line, I had very little to go with. 

In such a case, where I have nothing, I have my "last resort."  It is a book called Sunday Night Football Cookbook.  This cookbook has recipes for each of the teams.  There are some recipes from players, like Fred Taylor's Shrimp Gumbo and Shawne Merriman's Shepard Pie.  However, for the most part, the recipes are provided by chefs who have restaurants in the host cities.  Denver was represented by two recipes: (1) Spicy Pork Sausages with Mustard and Horseradish; and, Warm Bittersweet-Chocolate Cupcakes.  Given I don't bake, the process of elimination was fairly easy.

The sausage recipe comes from Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson, who is the chef of Frasca Food and Wine in Denver.  A winner of the James Beard Foundation's award for the Best Chef Southwest, Chef Mackinnon-Patterson is inspired by the cuisine of Friuli, which is part of the region known as Friuli-Venezia Giuli.  The food and wine of this region has influences drawn not only from Italy, but also neighboring Austria and Slovenia.  Chef Mackinnon-Patterson's sausage recipe gives a nod to Friuli cuisine with its use of prosciutto, because Friuli is well known for Prosciutto San Danielle.  I decided to give a further nod to the region with respect to the wine.  While the recipe calls for 1/4 cup of a non-descript "white wine," I found a Chardonnay from Friuli, which seemed like the best wine to use given the source of the recipe.  

Finally, this relatively simple recipe calls for making the sausage into patties.  If you want a challenge, you can do what I did.  Apart from tripling the recipe for the party, I used a meat grinder to stuff the sausage in casings.  I had always wanted to use the old school meat grinder that was given to me as a present from my sister and brother in law.  This recipe provided the first opportunity for me to use the grinder and, coincidentally, the first time that I made sausage by hand. Fortunately, Clare's parents were in town and they provided some very invaluable assistance as we worked to make nearly ten pounds of handmade sausage.  I am very grateful for their help.  Without their assistance, the sausage would never have been completed in time for the party.

SPICY PORK SAUSAGE SANDWICHES

Recipe from Frasca Food & Wine, 

from the Sunday Night Football Cookbook, pg. 124

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds of ground pork loin

12 ounces prosciutto or speck or combination, minced

1/4 cup of white wine

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

6 to 8 Kaiser rolls, split and toasted

Dijon-style mustard

Prepared horseradish

Directions:

1.  Prepare the sausage.  In a large bowl, combine the pork, prosciutto, wine, salt, cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, and cheese.  Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Form the pork mixture into 6 to 8 patties and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.  Alternatively, you can buy some pork casings and stuff the sausages, which is what I did in this case.   Just soak the casings in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour and then rinse them very well.  I have an old school meat grinder, the cast iron kind that you crank by hand.  Follow the instructions for the meat grinder and stuff the sausage. 

2.  Bake or grill the sausage.  Bake the sausage patties for about 20 minutes until cooked through. You can also preheat a grill to about 350 degrees and cook the sausages for the same period of time, flipping the sausage once after about 10 minutes. 

3.  Plate the dish.  Serve hot on the rolls with mustard and horseradish.

ENJOY!

Around the World in 80 Dishes: Andorra

After a break from eating Chivitos al Pan, which was necessary to clear the added cholesterol from my arteries, my culinary adventures take me across the Atlantic Ocean to the little country of Andorra.  I did not select this challenge at random; instead, this is a planned challenge.  I chose Andorra for two reasons. The first reason lies with the cuisine of the country.   Andorra or Principat d' Andorra is a small country nestled in the Pyrennes Mountains between Spain and France.  Despite its location, Andorra is neither Spanish nor French.  Instead, Andorra is Catalan.   The Catalan people have a long history, artistic tradition and cuisine; however, today, the people are split between Catalunya in Spain and Rousillon in France, with the independent country of Andorra in the middle.

Catalan cuisine draws from ingredients found along the Mediterranean coast.  These ingredients include tomatoes, garlic, eggplant, chiles, chickpeas and artichokes, along with poultry, pork, lamb and seafood.  The dishes created by Catalan cooks vary from the seafood-based dishes along the Mediterranean to the heavier, pork dishes found inland.  The inland Catalan cuisine includes, and is sometimes referred to as, "Catalan mountain cuisine."  The cooking in Andorra is a good reflection of the Catalan mountain cuisine.

The second reason for selecting Andorra as my next challenge is the date.  The day, January 17, is St. Anthony's day is Andorra.  Back in the 1970s, some friends got together to prepare the national dish, Escudella, for their neighbors and shopkeepers.  This celebration is a revival of the much older tradition of distributing food amongst the poorest residents.  With every year, more and more Andorrans gathered together to cook and share their national dish.  The celebration was eventually moved to the Village Square in the capital, Andorra La Vella.  And, over time, the Brotherhood of the Escullaires were formed to prepare the stew for each celebration. 

THE MAIN COURSE

This challenge presents me with the opportunity to "join" the Germandat de Escullaires for a day.  I decided to prepare the national dish for Andorra as part of the Around the World in 80 Dishes challenge.  The first reference to escudella was made by a Franciscan writer, Francesc Eiximenis, who was Catalan, in the fourteenth century.  Brother Eiximenis wrote that the Catalan people eat escudella every day.  After having made this dish, I can see why.  Generally speaking, escudella is a Catalan soup with two primary components: (1) the broth and (2) the meats and vegetables used in making the broth.  The broth is basically a stock, flavored by bones, meats and vegetables.

In making this dish, I had to make a couple of substitutions.  The first substitution involves the bones used for the broth.  The recipe calls for both marrow bones and ham bones.  I could easily find the marrow bones, but not the ham bones.  So, I substituted an additional marrow bone or two for the ham bone.  The second substitution relates to the sausage.  The recipe does not specify the particular type of sausage to be used.  After a little research, I decided to use butifarra (or botifarra), which is a traditional Catalan mild pork sausage.  Butifarra can be difficult to find; however, I did find a recipe for making butifarra sausage.  I got all of the ingredients, except for the cure.  I did not need the cure because I was not curing the sausage.  The raw sausage would be browned and go straight into the escudella.  If you plan to make butifarra sausage, check out Len Poli's website, which has general instructions for making the sausage.  

ESCUDELLA

Adapted from My Hungry Tum

Serves 8

Ingredients (for the Escudella):
2 cups of dry cannellini beans
1 marrow bone
1 ham bone
2 chicken breasts or 3 chicken thighs
8-12 cups of cold water
1/2 head green cabbage
1 large potato, cut into eighths
1/4 cup of rice
1 cup chick peas
1 cup of pasta (such as shells)
6 sausages, removed from casings and rolled into balls
2 slices of prosciutto
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
Salt, to taste
Ground pepper to taste

Ingredients (for the Butifarra Sausage):
1 pound of ground pork
1 teaspoon of salt
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1/8 teaspoon of ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 very small pinch (1/16 teaspoon) of nutmeg
1/4 tablespoon of wine vinegar

Directions:

1.  Make and brown the sausage.  Mix the ground pork with all of the ingredients (salt, garlic, cumin, ground black pepper, nutmeg and wine vinegar.  Form small balls or links. Gently brown sausage in cast iron Dutch Oven or pot/casserole w/vegetable oil over medium heat.

2.  Begin the stew.  Rinse the beans in cold water and tie the bones in cheesecloth.  Put both with the chicken, cooked sausage and ham in the pot or casserole with at least 8 cups of cold water and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce flame, and cook gently, covered, about 2 hours or until beans are cooked and chicken very tender.

3.  Remove the meats.  Remove ham and marrow bones and discard them. (I have seen recipes that call to extract and use the marrow, which I did.)  Put chicken aside.

4.  Return the soup to a boil.  If there is only a little liquid left, add a bit of water for the cooking of the remaining ingredients and bring soup to a rapid boil.

5.  Add the remaining ingredients.  When it is boiling, put in cabbage, potatoes, rice, pasta, chick-peas, and pepper to taste.  Continue cooking over medium flame for 30 minutes (or until newly added ingredients are cooked through).

6.  Return the meat to the stew.  A few minutes before serving, put chicken meat, removed from bones and shredded, in the pot to heat.  Season to taste.

7.  Plate the dish.  There are two ways to serve escudella.  One way is to serve the components separately: a bowl of the broth and a plate of the meats and vegetables.  This is known as Escudella i carn d'olla.  The other way is to serve the components together, like a soup or stew.  I chose this second presentation, which is sometimes referred to as Escudella Barrejada.  For this challenge, I plated the escudella using this second presentation. 

*     *     *

Although I was not standing side by side with the actual Brotherhood of Escullaires, this challenge nevertheless offered me the opportunity to cook this amazing Catalan and Andorran stew.  The escudella was great ... the broth was very flavorful, with the beef bones, chicken, ham and sausages making their contributions to the earthy and hearty soup.  The cabbage, potatoes, rice and pasta all added textures that underscored the earthiness of this dish.  Once again, I finish a challenge stuffed, not only with great food, but also with the desire to move on to the next challenge.  Until then, I would like to wish all of the Andorrans out there a very happy St. Anthony's Day, and ...

ENJOY!

For more information about Escudella, check out Slavic Nerd's Travel Blog. 

Gnocchi with Prosciutto and Sage

Gnocchi is a very old form of pasta, with some saying that it originated during the Roman Empire.  However, the first written recipe for gnocchi dates back to the fourteenth century.  It comes from a cookbook written in the Tuscan dialect.  "Se vuoi i gnocchi, logli lo cascio fresco e pestalo; poscia toglia la farina et intridi con tourla d'uova a modo di migliacci."  Or, as we would say, "if you want gnocchi, take some cheese and mash it, then take some flour and mix it with egg yolks as if you are making flour."  Hundreds of years later, that still remains the basic recipe for gnocchi, with one noteworthy exception.

The "keystone ingredient" can be something other than cheese.  Indeed, the most well known type of gnocchi is potato.  This type of gnocchi is popular in the Italian regions of Lazio and Abruzzo, where potatoes are common.  Other Italian regions have their own version of gnocchi, such as Malloredus, which is a Sardinian dumpling made only with semolina.

Gnocchi are traditionally a prima or first course. These dumplings can be served with a variety of sauces, such as a traditional red sauce, an Amatriciana sauce, a ragu or a brown butter sauce.  For this recipe, which comes from Frank Stitt's Bottega Favorita, the gnocchi are served in a brown butter sauce and garnished with pieces of proscuitto. 

GNOCCHI WITH PROSCUITTO AND SAGE

Recipe from Frank Stitt's Bottega Favorita at p. 119

Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 Russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
2 Yukon Gold potatoes (about 8 ounces)
2 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh ground white pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
9 tablespoons of unsalted butter
About three cups of all-purpose flour
3 large egg yolks
12 medium sage leaves
6 thin slices of Proscuitto di Parma, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated.

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until tender for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let cook slightly.

2.  Bring a pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil.

3.  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and place the warm (not hot) potatoes in a ricer.  Add the salt, pepper, a grating of nutmeg, 3 tablespoons of butter and a handful of flour and press through the ricer onto a large cutting board or marble pastry board,  Make sure the potato is not too hot, because it will cook the egg yolks.   Using a fork, begin working in the egg yolks and remaining flour (you want an approximately equal volume of flour and potatoes).  Using a pastry scraper or spatula to gradually incorporate the flour into the potato mixture.  The gentler you are during this phase, the lighter the gnochhi will be.

4.  Melt 2 more tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan and keep warm over low heat.

5.  Divide the gnocchi dough into several pieces.  Roll each one into a long 1/4 inch thick rope and cut into 1 inch pieces.  Press each piece with the back of a fork to create ridges.  Once they are all shaped, cook the gnocchi about 15 at a time.  Drop them into the boiling water and then once they float to the surface, 30 seconds or so, remove them with a slotted spoon or skimmer and transfer them to the pan of melted butter.  When all of the gnocchi are cooked and tossed in the melted butter, transfer them to a platter. (You can save the gnocchi to serve later by transferring the cooked gnocchi to an ice bath to cool rapidly and then place on a baking sheet and cover.  Set aside for several hours at room temperature or refrigerate overnight.

6.  Add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter (or 6 tablespoons if you cooked the gnocchi ahead) to the saute pan and cook over medium heat until it melts and takes on a rich brown color, and gives off a nutty aroma.  Add the gnocchi to the pan, add the sage, and toss to coat and heat through.

7.  Serve the gnocchi on a warm plate, garnished with proscuitto and a sprinkle of Parmigiano Reggiano.

ENJOY!

For more about the history of gnocchi, check out Anna Maria's Open Kitchen.

Parmesan Soufflé with White Wine Butter Sauce

I am not the only one who cooks in our family.  My beautiful wife, Clare, is also a great cook and a great baker.  Every once in a while, I ask my Angel to provide a guest blog post so that I can share some of the amazing and delicious things that she makes for family, friends and, of course, me.  She has already provided guest blog posts about Cuban Bread, Loyalist Bread, Salmon Burgers and Peach Cobbler.  So, without further ado,

A Guest Blog Post by Clare ...

As you may know, both Keith and I hosted a dinner for a Wine Club.  We both decided to cook a four-course meal using recipes from Frank Stitt's Bottega Favorita.  Frank Stitt is a well known chef who owns a few restaurants in and around Birmingham, Alabama.  My parents took Keith and myself to one of those restaurants, Bottega, for dinner during the weekend that Keith met them for the first time.  Perhaps the most memorable moment of that dinner, apart from spending time with my parents and with Keith, was the Parmesan Soufflé that we had as an appetizer.

This dish was amazing ... as one can expect when Frank Stitt describes it as a "cloud-like" pudding.  The eggs, cream and garlic make for a rather light soufflé.  This lightness is contrasted with the richness of the white wine butter sauce.  The wine, vinegar, cream and butter are combined together in the sauce, which is then infused into the mushrooms.  The dish is completed with a garnish of a few strips of prosciutto. 

Looking back, this is a recipe that was easier than what I thought.  One bit of advice that I have learned from making this dish.  When you are baking the soufflés, you should make sure that the sides of the pan or baking dish are not that much higher than the sides of the ramekins.  I found that the best dish for baking the soufflés is a pyrex glass baking dish.  The soufflés seemed to set better in the pyrex dish than the other dishes that I used, such as a roasting pan.

PARMESAN SOUFFLE WITH WHITE WINE BUTTER SAUCE

Recipe from Frank Stitt's Bottega Favorita at p. 40

Serves 6

Ingredients (for the Souffle):
8 large eggs
3 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic puree
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Dash of Tabasco Sauce

Ingredients (for the White Wine Butter Sauce):
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely minced
1 thyme sprig
1 1/2 teaspoons heavy white cream
1/2 pound of unsalted butter
Kosher salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Fresh lemon juice, to taste
Tabasco sauce

Ingredients (to add to the White Wine Butter Sauce):
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
2 cups quartered or thickly sliced cremini, oyster or button
     mushrooms or a mix of mushrooms
1 shallot, minced
2 thyme sprigs, leaves only
Kosher salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
4 thin slices of Prosciutto di Parma, sliced julienne

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter six 6 ounce ramekins and place them in a large shallow baking dish or pan.

2.  Combine all souffle ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.  Fill the ramekins almost to the top (use 5.5 ounces in each ramekin).  Fill the baking dish with enough water to come up to about three-quarters the side of the ramekins.

3.  Cover the pan with foil and bake for 1 hour.  Uncover and bake until the souffles are slightly puffed, set and golden, about fifteen minutes more.

4.  Meanwhile, shortly before the souffles are done, prepare the butter sauce.  Combine the wine, vinegar, shallot, and thyme in a small heavy non-reactive pan, bringing it to a boil over high heat to reduce to a syrupy glaze.  This should take about twelve minutes.  Then remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cream.  Return it to a simmer and simmer for about 1 minute.  reduce the heat to low and whisk in the butter bit by bit, adding more only after each previous addition has been incorporated.  Regulate the heat so that the sauce stays warm but does not get too hot (otherwise it will separate).  Add the salt, pepper, lemon juice and hot sauce.  Taste and add a little more vinegar or hot sauce is needed.  Strain the sauce. Keep the sauce warm while you saute the mushrooms.

5.  Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat, and add the butter.  When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and saute until the edges are golden, about 3 minutes.  Add the shallot and saute for one 1 minute.  Season with the thyme leaves and add the salt and pepper and toss for about 30 seconds.  Set aside, covered to keep warm.

6.  Unmold the souffles onto warm plates and ladle the butter sauce around.  Scatter some of the sauteed mushrooms and sliced prosciutto around each one and serve.

And, as Keith would say,

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.

Paglia e Fieno

Paglia e Fieno, also known as "Straw & Hay," is a traditional pasta dish from the Emilia-Romagna region. This recipe is a modified version of a recipe that I tried during a class taught by Stephen Sands at the L'Academie de Cuisine. The original recipe called for the use of reduced chicken stock. I modified the recipe to use dried mushrooms and the reserve liquor from the mushrooms in place of the stock, making it vegetarian-friendly. Also, the original recipe called for the use of prosciutto, and I have kept that in the recipe as an option for those non-vegetarians.

Any mushroom can be used in this recipe, although it is best to mix a few varieties together. You can use shiitake, oyster, cremini, porcini, or a pre-packaged mixture of wild mushrooms. When I have made this recipe, I usually use dry porcinis with a pre-packaged mixture of wild mushrooms (available at gourmet stores or from Igourmet.com). Most recently, I made this recipe with morels, chanterelles and a mixture of wild mushrooms.

This recipe is also best with handmade fettuccine - old school style with the hand crank pasta maker. However, for those who do not make their own pasta, look for fresh fettuccine.

Enjoy.

Paglia & Fieno
(Serves 4-6)

4 oz. prosciutto
12 oz. mixed, wild mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, cremini, porcini, morels, chanterelles, etc.)
1/2 large lemon, juiced
2/3 to 1 cup of reserve liquor from dried mushrooms (see below)
1 cup to 1 & 1/2 cup of heavy cream
1clove of garlic, finely minced
2-3 tbsp. of butter
Fresh basil
Fresh parsley
Sea Salt
Fresh ground pepper

First, rehydrate the dried mushrooms in warm water for approximately 30 minutes. Be careful, mushrooms are like sponges and will take in a lot of water. Check them a couple of times and remove them from the water after no more than 30 minutes. Take the liquid and run it through a cheesecloth to remove any remaining dirt or other matter. Pour the liquid into a sauce pan and add a few fresh basil leaves, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Cut the proscuitto into thin strips. Take the mushrooms and slice them into thin pieces. Drizzle the lemon juice.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a saute pan and saute the minced garlic. Pour in the whipping cream and the reserve liquor and reduce until smooth.

In a separate saute pan over high heat, add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. After the mushrooms begin to lose their moisture, add 1-2 tablespoons of butter and saute the mushrooms until tender. Once the mushrooms are tender, add the prosciutto and fresh parsely. Simmer on very low heat until all ingredients are warmed through.

When you are ready to serve, add the mushrooms to the saucepan with the heavy cream and reserve liquor and mix the sauce together.

Once the pasta is ready (i.e., after you have brought a pot of salted water to a boil and cooked the pasta in it), add the pasta to the sauce. Garnish the pasta and sauce with a chiffonade of basil and with fresh, grated parmigiano reggiano.