Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites (21 page)
Read Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites Online
Authors: Giada de Laurentiis
Tags: #Non-Fiction, #Reference
Note:
If you prefer not to grill, the chicken can also be baked. Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes in a 375°F oven. Remove the baking dish from the oven and spoon the barbecue sauce all over the top of the chicken. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
What cooks more quickly than thin chicken cutlets? No wonder they are a weeknight mainstay in most homes. With the addition of saffron, though, they become elegant enough to serve to company. Saffron is a pricy ingredient but it adds a beautiful color; and if you store it in a tightly sealed container it will keep for a long time.
4 to 6 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound thin chicken cutlets (scaloppine)
¾ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning meat
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning meat
2 shallots, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
¼ teaspoon saffron threads
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Season the chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the shallots and garlic, and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is almost evaporated. Add the chicken broth and saffron threads, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add the cream, salt, and pepper to the skillet and stir to combine.
Simmer for 1 minute to blend the flavors. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with the parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Traditionally saltimbocca is made with veal cutlets, rather than chops, but a thicker cut of meat makes for a heartier dish. When you sauté the chops the prosciutto forms a great, salty crust on the outside and the lemon gets caramelized, making a yummy, savory package.
4 servings
4 boneless veal loin chops, each about ¾ inch thick
½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning meat
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning meat
4 thin lemon slices
4 sage leaves, plus 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
4 large slices prosciutto
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
½ cup heavy cream
Place the veal chops on a work surface and season with salt and pepper. Place a slice of lemon on top of each chop. Top with one sage leaf. Lay a piece of prosciutto on each chop and press to seal.
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the veal chops in the hot oil, lemon-side up, and cook for 6 minutes. Turn the chops over and cook until the prosciutto starts to caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet and tent with foil to keep warm.
Add the white wine to the skillet and deglaze over high heat, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth and reduce by half, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cream, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Stir until combined and hot. Pour some of the sauce over each veal chop and top with the remaining teaspoon of finely chopped sage. Serve immediately.
Once primarily available at farmers’ markets and gourmet groceries, fennel is available in most supermarkets these days (depending on where you live it might be labeled anise). Its mild licorice flavor has a special affinity for pork and for chicken. This dish is very light and clean, with no thickeners or cream to mute the flavors.
4 servings