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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 (fond) 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.
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