Italian Hump Day

Wednesday was again cold starting out, but the winds were calm and the temperature improved throughout the day.

Both my walks were outside, and the afternoon one was without my scarf!

At lunch, I went to Westborn to get a few needed items for tonight’s dinner. Since I was there and since they had it offered, I bought a tub of their lobster bisque soup for lunch.

After work, I changed clothes and decided to forgo the usual Wednesday night wash. I wanted to be able to concentrate on dinner, instead.

I watched the news until it ended at 7:00 PM and then got started. I began with my mise en place: chopped Italian (or flat leaf) parsley and the juice of two lemons. In both cases, it turned out to be more than I needed. I also crushed and peeled six cloves of garlic.

So, tonight I was making Chicken Saltimbocca with a side dish of Mushrooms Vittoria. Qui si mangia bene!

Now there are about as many recipes for Saltimbocca as there are for America's "Mom’s meat loaf," but I was using one from Fabio Viviani.

I took out three chicken breasts I had thawed in the fridge overnight. I put them in between cling wrap (I could only do two at a time, due to space restraints) and pounded them flat with the smooth side of my new meat mallet. Then I used the tenderizer side to finish them off.

I lightly salted and peppered both sides of each chicken breast. Next I put down some fresh sage leaves on one half. I topped them with a couple of thin slices of Italian prosciutto (its similar to our bacon, except not smoked). BTW, its okay if the ends of the prosciutto are peeking out.

I heated up some olive oil in my 12-inch non-stick skillet. [CHEF’S NOTE: For best results, do not use cast-iron or any other reactive pan.] I cooked the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through, and removed it to a plate to keep warm.

I added 1/4 cup of fresh-squeezed lemon juice,  1/2 cup of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of dry white wine to my skillet, and stirred it to combine. I brought the sauce to a boil and then reduced it to a simmer.

Meanwhile, I began my Mushrooms Vittoria side dish. I quartered a pound of large white mushrooms while I melted two tablespoons of butter in two tablespoons of olive oil in my 10-inch skillet on medium-high heat. I added the crushed garlic cloves in and sauteed them until they were beginning to brown, (about 2 minutes).
 

Using a slotted spoon, I  removed and discarded the garlic (I was just trying to perfume the oil/butter mixture). Then, I added the mushrooms and sauteed them until they were golden brown and the juices evaporated, (about 15 minutes).

I added one cup of dry white wine and simmered that until it reduced to glaze on the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, (about 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, I  returned the chicken to the pan and allowed the sauce to simmer for five minutes, basting the chicken frequently.

I seasoned the mushrooms with salt and pepper; added the parsley and plated my food. I poured a little of the sauce over a piece of the chicken and added more fresh ground black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. I cut some lemon wedges and set them on the side.

It was excellent!!! Try it. OMG!

I watched a taped DIY show after half-heartedly cleaning up the kitchen and then went to bed.