Chef Mario Batalis Easy 3 Pork Saltimbocca Recipes

From Denny: We like Mario Batali at our house. He is always enthusiastic about whatever he does and he does it well because he has a high personal standard of excellence. He is also more user friendly than most chefs, possessing an abundance of people skills. Mario is a natural as a teacher of great food.

He spent a lot of time exploring his ancestors' Italy, learning the language and the regional foods. He traveled, sampled and even worked for some small Italian kitchens just to learn the very old traditional recipes. Here he shares with us a very simple dish that is both a succulent and elegant meal fine enough to serve to guests for that special occasion.

Take a look at the variations you can do with this dish. Also, did you know that sage is great for easing toxin headaches? As winter ends, it's a good idea to include some sage into your diet as your body begins to naturally detox from the winter season. Chef Batali talks a bit about Italian culture and the language in the origin of the recipe's name. For a guy who received his original degree in Economics, he sure is bubbling over with information on just one recipe!

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Saltimbocca alla Romana

From: Chef Mario Batali

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 8 pork cutlets (about 2 ounces each)
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 8 slices prosciutto di Parma
• Flour for dusting
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Lemon wedges


DIRECTIONS

Using a meat mallet, pound each pork slice to about 1/8-inch thick. Place 1 sage leaf and 1 slice of prosciutto on each pork cutlet and fold over to form a sandwich, with the meat inside the prosciutto. Pound lightly with the meat mallet, then secure with toothpicks.

In a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat until it foams and subsides. Season the flour with salt and pepper and dredge the cutlets lightly in the flour. Add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm.

Pour the wine into the pan and bring to a boil, stirring with wooden spoon to dislodge the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Return the cutlets to the pan just to reheat, then transfer to plates, pour the sauce over, and serve immediately, with lemon wedges.





Scallopa al Pizzaiolo

From: Chef Mario Batali

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound pork loin, cut into 4 pieces 1/2-inch thick
• 4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 2 cups basic tomato sauce
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 8 rounds of 2 inches each
• 2 bunches fresh oregano leaves, stems removed, to yield 1 cup


DIRECTIONS

In a shallow bowl, mix flour with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge pork pieces in flour mixture and set aside. In a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until just smoking. Shake excess flour from meat and place pieces in pan. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pork pieces and pour out oil.

Add 1/2 cup water to pan and deglaze, scraping lightly with a wooden spoon to loosen brown bits. Add tomato sauce and bring to a boil. Replace pork in pan and coat with sauce. Place 2 pieces fresh mozzarella over each piece of pork and place pan in oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Remove pan from oven.

Place pork on platter, surround with sauce, sprinkle with fresh oregano and serve.





Pork Saltimbocca

From: Chef Mario Batali

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound pork loin, cut into 8 equal thin slices by your butcher
• 4 thin slices prosciutto di Parma
• 8 sage leaves
• 4 tablespoons flour, seasoned with salt and pepper,
• 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sweet butter plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 cup marsala wine (sweet)
• 1/2 cup basic tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup basic chicken stock
• 1/4 pound domestic mushrooms, quartered
• 1 bunch Italian parsley, finely chopped to yield 1/4 cup


DIRECTIONS

Lay 4 thin slices of pork on counter and season with salt and pepper. Place 1 slice prosciutto di Parma in center of each and 2 sage leaves over the prosciutto. Dust edges of 4 pieces with flour. Place 4 remaining pieces of pork over 4 on counter. Massage the edges together so they stick together and set aside.

Flour outsides and place into bread crumbs, patting so the crumbs adhere. In a 12- to 14-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons sweet butter until bubbling over medium heat. Place 4 pork "sandwiches" in pan and cook slowly until golden brown. Turn and cook other side the same. Remove pork carefully and set aside in warm place. Turn heat to high and add marsala, tomato sauce, chicken stock and domestic mushrooms. Bring to boil and reduce by half. Add remaining sweet butter and 4 pork "sandwiches."

Simmer 10 minutes, add chopped parsley and serve.



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Enjoy Louisiana Culture: Love Those Eggplant Recipes

*** Fun article about Louisiana food culture. 3 eggplant recipes and 4 cooking videos to get you on your way to cooking this great vegetable! Funny veggie photos of eggplants "in the wild." :)

Immigrants Blend to Create Food Culture

With our Sicilian and Italian immigrant cultures over a century old now in Louisiana we still love eggplant dishes. Eggplant pasta can be found in the humble Italian eateries, eggplant appetizers stacked high at the most elegant restaurants from New Orleans to Lafayette, eggplant in home-made casseroles for that creamy texture, and, of course, warm eggplant dips for social gatherings like football parties, weddings, christenings and family reunions!


Sauteed Eggplant with Honey and Cheese





Eggplant Bad Rap: Bitterness and Seeds

Some people frown at eggplant as it is a nightshade plant like tomatoes. The key to using eggplant in any dish is to sweat down the raw slices with some salt in a colander over a bowl to catch the bitter juices as they scurry out of the vegetable. That bitterness is difficult to digest and is often the main complaint people have about the vegetable. Some people soak their eggplant in milk to draw out the bitterness as in a recipe below.

The other complaint is the seeds. If you make sure to cook, bake, fry or sauté it long enough the seeds soften into the “no-bother” stage. Eggplant tends to absorb oil when you sauté or fry it so take care to watch how much you use for any dish if you are watching your calories.

My father used to like to coat eggplant slices with batter and sauté it in a pan and it sure did soak up the oil, enough to make me run for the Highland hills. Tasted great but if you cannot handle much oil which is acidic on the stomach you might want to try another method like baking the eggplant.

Japanese Style Eggplant Salad - scroll down to photo credits for link to photographer's flickr page for ingredients list









Louisiana Men Are Great Cooks!

When it comes to eggplant I’m part of the lazy cook crowd and prefer to peel and dice up the eggplant, sweat out the bitterness for about 30 minutes, rinse it and then throw it together with some spices, cheese and whatever else grabs me, shove it in the oven, covered, and let it bake away until soft, succulent and wonderfully tasty!

Louisiana men LOVE to cook and especially for large gatherings. They are often heads of law firms, newscasters, founders of a local phone or natural gas company and they still choose to cook for anyone and everyone. They can also be what we call “country boys” who may have a construction, factory or refinery job, love to hunt and fish in their off hours and cook for their families and friends whenever someone drops by for a visit. They often get on their new tech cell phones and call around and invite just to have an excuse to cook. Men who love to cook; does it get any better than that?


Eggplant Nixon Humor





Cajun Cookbook and River Road Recipes

One local newscaster in Baton Rouge, an extremely popular man, was Cajun Vernon Roger (pronounced French way, not Anglicized). He’d do the news in this metro market and then slide on over to the cooking segment to assist the local chefs or do his own dishes. He was full of personality and showmanship. Most of all the man could really cook! So many viewers liked his cooking segments that he eventually self-published a spiral bound cookbook that was instantly a big hit, enjoying several printings for many years. Though he is gone and the original cookbook is out of print there is still a newer version of his cookbook available where they reduced the calories for more modern tastes.

You can order from Barnes and Noble: Roger’s Cajun Cookbook Lite. The Number is ISBN-13: 9780681480049 if you desire to look elsewhere and retails for about $27. You can occasionally find an autographed version in the used book section and they run about $75 each. The original cookbook is hard to come by unless you check out a used book fair and hope you get lucky.

Amazon.com has the original cookbook and the newer version with far more available well-priced copies than Barnes and Noble.

Also, a real sacred cow here in Louisiana is the beloved charity organization of the Junior League that published the nationally popular cookbook series: River Road Recipes. Most people love the first two cookbooks. This eggplant recipe is from River Road Recipes II: A Second Helping, originally published in 1976, which is available from Amazon too from $3 to $18.

Here are several recipes to enjoy and maybe think again of trying this versatile much maligned but tasty vegetable!

Eggplant Medallions with Crawfish Cream Sauce

From: Vernon Roger – Roger’s Cajun Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 eggplant peeled and sliced 1/4–inch thick

2 cups corn flour (fish-shrimp fry)

1 cup whipping cream

½ teaspoon Louisiana Hot Sauce/other hot sauce brand you like, this one is not as hot as Tabasco brand

1/8 teaspoon oregano

1 Tablespoon brandy

2 Tablespoons butter

½ onion, chopped

3 Tablespoons chopped green onions

1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped

1 cup milk

Vegetable oil for frying like peanut oil that can take a high heat

1 cup crawfish tails (you could substitute shrimp or other seafood you like)

1 cup sliced mushrooms


Directions for frying eggplant: Soak eggplant in milk 7 minutes. Remove and discard milk. (This is where the bitter juice of the eggplant went, so you definitely want to discard this liquid.) Season corn flour with salt, red pepper, black pepper and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Heat oil. Dip slices in corn flour. Fry in hot oil till golden brown. Remove, drain on paper towel and keep warm.

Directions for Sauce: Melt butter in skillet. Add chopped onion, mushrooms and sauté 3 – 4 minutes. Add whipping cream. Simmer on medium to high heat till cream reduces by half. Add salt, red pepper, black pepper, oregano and hot pepper. Simmer 1 minute. Add crawfish, green onions, and parsley. Simmer 1 minute. Add brandy and simmer 1 minute. Lay 1 slice eggplant on plate. Spoon sauce over eggplant. Repeat with as many slices as desired.

Eggplant Parmesan - demos the layering technique





Eggplant Frittata - she shows you how to peel, slice, wash it if you are unfamiliar with eggplant





Eggplant Yuck or Yum! Poll

Do you like to cook and/or eat eggplant?

68% Yes, often
23% Yes, occasionally - it is a nightshade plant after all...
5% No, are you kidding? Yuck to the highest power!
5% Maybe - never gave it much thought but willing to try it now


Grilled Eggplant





Eggplant Tomato Curry - Louisiana elected 1st Indian-American governor, parents: Dems, he: Republican






Eggplant Ground Meat Casserole

From: River Road Recipes II: A Second Helping, published by the Junior League of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1976. Recipe donated by Mrs. Arthur Keller

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:

4 large eggplants

1 large onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 large bell pepper, chopped

4 pods garlic, chopped

3 medium slices baked ham, cut into small pieces

1 cup butter (2 sticks)/you can substitute another oil of your choice like canola oil or extra-virgin olive oil as this is a 1970’s recipe and the Junior League has updated it for modern tastes in successive cookbooks.

1 ½ pounds mixed ground beef and pork

6 to 8 slices stale bread

½ cup cream

1 cup milk

5 eggs

Salt and pepper to taste

Bread, cracker, or potato chip crumbs to top

Directions: Peel, dice and simmer eggplants in small amount of water until tender. Does not take long. (I like to sweat the eggplant first to remove bitterness, and then proceed to boiling.) Sauté together onion, celery, onion, bell pepper, garlic and ham in butter/other oil you prefer until soft. Add all meat and cook until done. Combine bread with cream, milk and beaten eggs. Add this mixture to cooked meat and vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Pour into ungreased but wet, not too deep, large casserole. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes. When done, sprinkle top with your choice of bread or cracker or crumbled potato chips crumbs. Allow 2 to 3 minutes to heat. Remove from oven and serve.


Eggplant Man Humor




Savory Eggplant Tomato Butter

From: Chef Michael Flores from San Antonio, Texas that he uses for wedding menus

Makes: 2 cups

Ingredients:

2 cups peeled and finely chopped eggplant

½ cup finely chopped onion

¼ cup peeled, seeded and finely chopped plum tomatoes

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar

½ teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon oregano leaves, crushed

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Directions: In a medium saucepan, combine eggplant, onion, tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, oregano, salt and black pepper. Cook over very low heat; stirring frequently, until eggplant is brown and tender, 10 to 15 minutes; cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine eggplant mixture with butter until blended.

Divide butter in half; place each half on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Shape into logs, 1 inch in diameter; wrap securely.

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Use within a week or freeze up to 3 months. Serve with grilled chicken and fish or toss with pasta, rice and vegetables.


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Halloween Italian Comfort Food: Halloween Purses, Pumpkin Risotto, Chocolate Pudding Cake, Pumpkin Bread Pudding, Nutella Apples

From Denny: Italian cooking goes Halloween! Featured is Pumpkin Risotto, Trick-or-Treat Halloween Bags which are phyllo dough purses with stacked layers of eggplant, prosciutto ham, mozzarella cheese, tomato, basil. More goodies from this chef family are the recipes for Baked Pumpkins filled with Pumpkin Bread Pudding topped with Pomegranate Sauce, Bittersweet chocolate pudding cake with butterscotch sauce and Caramel Nutella apples.

All of these recipes come from Chefs Marion, Anthony, Rosanna, John and Elaina of the New York City restaurant Fresco by Scotto. These chefs are exceptionally clear on fast-paced television.

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Bittersweet chocolate pudding cake with butterscotch sauce

From: The Scotto Family

Makes: 10 servings

INGREDIENTS

For chocolate pudding cake

• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup butter
• 1 3/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup hot water

For butterscotch sauce

• 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

DIRECTIONS

1. To make chocolate pudding cake: Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and ½ cup of the cocoa powder.

2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and 1 cup of the brown sugar at medium speed until light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture.

3. Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. Spoon the batter into the dish.

4. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining ¾ cups brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder and the hot water. Pour the liquid over the batter and place the baking dish into a larger pan. Place the pan in the oven and pour enough hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish.

5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the pudding is barely set and has begun to pull away from the sides of the baking dish.

6. To make butterscotch sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, and remove from the heat. Serve the pudding warm with the warm butterscotch sauce.



Trick-or-treat Halloween bags

From: The Scotto Family

Makes: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box phyllo dough sheets
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 slices eggplant, 1/4 inch thick, brushed with olive oil and grilled on both sides
• 8 Italian plum tomatoes, cut 1/4 inch thick
• 6 slices fresh mozzarella, cut 1/4 inch thick
• 18 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 6 slices prosciutto, sliced thin, 8 inches in length
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Stack 1 slice of eggplant, 2 slices tomato, 1 slice mozzarella, 2 basil leaves, and top with 1 more slice of eggplant. Season with a pinch of oregano and top with ¼ teaspoon Parmesan cheese. Assemble 5 remaining stacks the same way.

2. Place 2 prosciutto slices lengthwise on work surface. Place stack in middle of prosciutto slices and fold prosciutto over the top to wrap stack.

For phyllo bags:

1. Place one sheet of phyllo on work surface. Brush a little olive oil all over sheet, especially the edges of phyllo. Place a second sheet on top in the opposite direction to make a cross. Brush oil on top of second sheet as before. Salt and pepper entire surface.

2. Place vegetable prosciutto filling in middle of the phyllo. Pull all the sides up toward the center to make a bag. Pinch all four corners of phyllo dough together with your forefingers and thumbs. Brush the outside of each bag with olive oil. Continue the same procedure to make a total of 6 bags.

3. Place the assembled bags on a baking tray brushed with olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until phyllo bags become a light golden brown.

4. Place a few spoonfuls of Halloween sauce on the bottom of each serving dish, add a phyllo bag and serve (see recipe below).



Halloween sauce

From: The Scotto Family

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 shallots, peeled, finely minced
• 2 yellow peppers, split in half, deseeded, rough-chopped into small pieces
• 2 yellow tomatoes, cored, rough-chopped
• 1 small yellow squash, split in half lengthwise, deseeded, rough-chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in sauté pan over medium to high heat. Sauté garlic and shallots for approximately 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add peppers, tomatoes and squash all together. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium to low heat for 20 minutes.

2. Allow vegetables to cool off for 10 minutes, place in blender and puree to smooth consistency.



Pumpkin risotto with toasted almonds

From: The Scotto Family

Makes: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

Pumpkins

• 4 small pumpkins, weighing 2 pounds or less, tops removed, insides scraped and deseeded

Risotto

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds; set aside 1/4 cup for garnish
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring chicken stock to a boil in a medium saucepan, then reduce the heat and keep at a bare simmer.

2. Warm the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and wine and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the onions are translucent and the white wine is reduced. Add the rice and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes, until every grain is coated the liquid.

3. Place pumpkins in preheated oven.

4. Add 1 cup of the chicken stock until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently and making sure all the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock. When half the stock has been added, add pumpkin puree. Continue to add stock. Cook until the rice is tender and creamy, about 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the butter and Parmesan cheese and toasted almonds.

6. Remove pumpkins from oven, fill with risotto, top with almonds and serve immediately.



Baked pumpkins filled with pumpkin bread pudding topped with pomegranate sauce

From: The Scotto Family

Makes: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

Pumpkin bread pudding

• 3 medium-size pumpkins, tops removed, insides scraped and deseeded
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 (15 ounce) can pure pumpkin
• 1 cup (packed) plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 10 cups 1/2-inch cubes egg bread or brioche (about 10 ounces)
• Powdered sugar

Pomegranate sauce

• 4 large pomegranates (about 3 pounds)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
• 3/4 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS

For pumpkin bread pudding:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk half-and-half, pumpkin, dark brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and vanilla extract in large bowl to blend. Fold in bread cubes.

For pomegranate sauce:

1. Cut the pomegranates in half. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Using a spoon or your fingers, scrape the seeds into the sieve.

2. Using a wooden spoon or a flat meat pounder, press on the seeds to extract 2 cups of juice. Discard the seeds and set the juice aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, mix the cornstarch with the sugar. Slowly stir in the pomegranate juice and mix well. Cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to thicken and darkens to a deep wine color and the sauce coats the back of the spoon.

4. Remove from the heat and let cool. The sauce may be made ahead and stored in a jar in the refrigerator. It will thicken somewhat if stored. When ready to use, thin with a little warm water if necessary.



Caramel Nutella Apples

From: The Scotto Family

Makes: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

For caramel apples

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 can sweetened condensed milk, about 3/4 cup
• 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Wooden candy apple sticks
• 6 apples

For Nutella apples

• Wooden candy apple sticks
• 6 apples
• 1 jar Nutella

DIRECTIONS

1. To make caramel apples: Mix all ingredients in a 2-quart pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until soft ball stage (about 230 to 236°F on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat. Cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. Skewer apples; dip one by one in caramel.

2. To make Nutella apples: Heat Nutella in the top of a double boiler. Skewer apples; dip one by one in Nutella.

*** Thanks for visiting, everyone!

*** For more Halloween recipes and funny Halloween videos:

Video: Halloween Campy Cakes - Chocolate Spider Cakes, Ghoulish Ghost Cakes

4 Campy Halloween Drinks for Your Party, Find Out Halloween Trivia

*** Handmade Unique - lists posts from several blogs around the blogosphere with Halloween posts. Pay her a visit!