Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Saltimbocca or is it Cordon Bleu? Dinner in ten steps.

John out of town, Ren with upset stomach. What to have for dinner? something delicate, like chicken, she says.
First: Must make flourless almond lemon cake for staff birthday in the morning.
Second: Must build a fire.
Third: Ren will empty the dish machine and make the salad.
Fourth: Clean the kitchen.
Fifth: Put on the rice.
Sixth: Make some saltimbocca. Bone two chicken breasts, freezing the bones for stock. Pound them between plastic wrap until uniformly thin. Cut each breast into to relatively matching halves. Top one half with slice of prociutto, some fresh sage leaves, and thin slices of Gruyere cheese. (Could have put more cheese, after we tasted the end result.) Top with the other half. Standard breading (flour, egg, bread crumbs). Fry up in the big black cast iron pan over medium heat with butter and a little olive oil. Salt it.
Seventh: whoops, take out the cake.
Eighth: Make a mango and tangelo fruit salad. Turn the chicken to the other side.
Nineth: Set the table.
Tenth: Serve it up.

Not bad. Dinner by 7:45.

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