Chicken & greens Saltimbocca with Brandied Cherries & sage
A unique spin on weeknight chicken.
Brandied cherries are a great complement to the savory chicken and prosciutto.
I have to admit that pounding boneless, skinless chicken breast into a thin sheet and rolling it up with other ingredients isn't something I would have come up with on my own. In fact, I pretty much never buy boneless, skinless chicken breast because it seems like a waste of flavor and texture, but this "transformed saltimbocca" (saltimbocca is traditionally made with veal and prosciutto, rather than chicken and prosciutto) is a great way to rethink chicken dinner and the ingredient combinations are endless. In this version, I used house brandied cherries (so fun to incorporate them into something savory!), spinach, and sage, but other possibilities that have come to mind include: Mashed butternut squash + black olive, gruyere + thyme, parsley + coriander + lemon zest, or even tatsoi + sesame + miso - as you can see, really endless possibilities! A little bit of sweet is nice in any combination, as it pairs nicely with the savory qualities of the chicken and prosciutto. Although the preparation may seem complicated, once you get the hang of it, it's really simple and the actually cooking time is very quick. Below recipe makes 2 generous portions or 4 smaller portions.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4-8 thin slices of prosciutto (depending on size, see below)
About 20 fresh sage leaves, divided
1.5 cups fresh spinach
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons brandied cherry juice
4-8 brandied cherries (2 per serving)
Chicken cutlets layered with prosciutto, sage, and spinach before rolling up.
A meal of chicken brandied cherry saltimbocca, broccolini, and of course, wine.
Cut chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create 4 pieces and pound using a meat pounder or rolling pin to evenly flatten - pieces should be about 1/4-inch thick. If using a rolling pin, cover chicken with plastic wrap before rolling to prevent cross-contamination.
Sprinkle chicken with salt and ground pepper and lay one slice of prosciutto on each piece of chicken (use more than one piece of prosciutto to cover chicken if needed) followed by 3 leaves of sage per chicken cutlet. Reserve remaining sage leaves.
Heat a skillet on medium-high heat and briefly toss spinach with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of water. Cook just to wilt, remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and chop. Arrange spinach in an even layer over the prosciutto slices.
Beginning at the tapered end, roll up each chicken cutlet like you’re rolling up a cinnamon roll. Secure with a toothpick.
Chop 4 of the remaining sage leaves. Heat the tablespoon of oil in a dutch oven or deep skillet on high heat. Cook the chopped sage and chicken rolls until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Add the chicken broth and wine and scrape browned bits off bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Bring liquid to a boil then reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a platter and remove toothpicks. Continue simmering cooking liquid with 3 tablespoon brandied cherry juice over high heat until it is reduced to about 1/3 cup, or 5-7 minutes then toss in brandied cherries. Drizzle the reduced cooking liquid over the chicken. Serve on top of polenta or other starch with sage leaves and brandied cherries as garnish.
Polenta pairs well with saltimbocca because its soft, simple nature.
Herbed Spaghetti Carbonara
Rich simplicity at its finest bolsted with aromatics.
I've thought about making spaghetti carbonara several times, ever since I was introduced to it in a Ruth Reichl book, but I never did until faced with a nearly empty refrigerator (that fortunately did happen to have very good quality bacon). The rustic simplicity of the dish was always intriguing, but the shear absence of vegetables and color in a main course turned me off. I have to say that when I did finally make I was not disappointed - by tossing in fresh aromatic herbs a pleasant brightness was achieved that balanced the bacon, egg, and garlic.
The coolest thing about spaghetti carbonara is the fact that you cook the egg by tossing them with the freshly cooked pasta. Egg proteins are very sensitive and even just that small amount of heat is enough to denature and partially coagulate them - in other words, the raw egg starts to thicken as the proteins unwind and join back up. This creates a lovely silkiness akin to a fancy sauce only using egg. This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal for when you don't have time and aim to please. Below recipe serves 2-3 and is adapted from Ruth Reichl's recipe.
“As the ingredients are minimal, fresh pasta is really the way to go if you can, but it is not necessary. ”
1 pound of spaghetti or angel hair pasta, preferably fresh
1/4 pound thickly sliced good quality bacon, about 3 thick strips (I got mine from The Local Butcher Shop in North Berkeley and it made a huge difference)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
2 large eggs
1/8 teaspoon (or a few grindings of) black pepper
1-2 handfuls of plucked fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme, and marjoram
Grated parmesan cheese, to top pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. If making fresh pasta, complete the below steps before cooking the pasta and if using dried pasta, complete the below steps while the pasta is cooking.
Cut the bacon into thick pieces, about 1/2-inch wide. Cook on medium-high in a skilled until fat begins to render, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 5 minutes, until edges of bacon become crisp.
Break the eggs into the bowl you are going to serve the pasta in. Add black pepper and beat with a fork.
Once pasta is cooked (1-2 minutes for fresh, 8-10 minutes for dried), drain and mix with the eggs. Add the bacon and garlic mixture with about one-half of its fat (or more if preferred) along with the fresh herbs and toss into pasta. Serve with grated parmesan and more black pepper if desired.