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To clarify the butter, place a large
skillet over low heat. Add butter and allow to slowly melt. After
about 10 minutes, use a teaspoon to scrape the top of the melted butter and discard the white milk solids.
If you have a very small hand-held strainer, you can run that through the
butter to remove the solids. This process may take
a total of 15
minutes. Once all of the milk solids have been discarded, the remaining oil
is the clarified butter. Shut off heat until ready to brown the veal.
Place 1/4 cup water in a large
saucepan with 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg and a pinch of kosher
salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and start adding fresh spinach. Cover
for a minute then start tossing with tongs. As the spinach wilts, add more,
toss and cover. Once all the spinach has wilted, usually in about 5 minutes,
turn the heat off and let stand for 5 minutes. Drain the spinach in a
colander and lightly press some of the water out with the tongs. Unlike most
applications using steamed spinach, it is not necessary to completely
squeeze out all of the moisture. Slice the fresh
mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices and set aside with the spinach. Have prosciutto ready.
To prepare the veal, ensure it is no more than about 1/8 inch thick. If
thicker, pound lightly from the center out with the flat side of a meat
pounder. Once all slices are 1/8 inch thick, use the pointed side of the
pounder and once again lightly pound both sides of the veal to resemble
cubed steak. Try not to tear through the meat; just cube it.
Place scaloppini on a plate and lightly salt and pepper both sides.
Sift flour into a shallow wide bowl to remove any lumps. Dredge
the scaloppini in the flour and shake off any excess. Place
back on the plate and let sit 5 minutes while heating the
clarified butter. Heat the clarified butter
over medium-low heat and sauté the four scaloppini 4 minutes per side, until
golden brown. Do not over cook or cook over high heat-it
will toughen. Remove
to the plate and set aside. Remove the pan from the heat.
With the pan off the heat, pour in the lemon juice
and wine. Place back on medium-low heat and stir to pick up any brown bits
on the bottom of the pan. Let reduce slightly for 5 to 10 minutes. While the
sauce reduces slightly, assemble the saltimbocca.
Place
one slice of prosciutto on top of each veal scaloppini. Now divide and spread the spinach evenly over each piece
of prosciutto. Follow with sliced fresh mozzarella to cover the little
packets. Remove the reduced sauce from the heat and turn the flame to low.
Place the remaining 3 tablespoons of cold butter in the middle of the
reduction and stir constantly until melted and sauce has thickened. Put pan
back over low heat and add
each saltimbocca packet to the sauce but do not cover the packets with
sauce. Place the lid on the pan and let stand 5 minutes so cheese just starts to
melt. Spoon sauce on warmed plates, place the saltimbocca in the sauce and
drizzle more lemon-wine sauce around each
saltimbocca. Serve with a side of spaghetti and marinara and/or an
antipasto salad. |