Chicken Saltimbocca with Country Ham

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, Y'all

Ingredients

• 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 16 to 24 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish if desired
• 8 paper-thin slices country ham, prosciutto, or Serrano ham (about 6 to 8 ounces total)
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup of chicken stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
• coarse salt

 

Directions

1. To prepare the cutlets, place a chicken breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to slightly over 1/4 inch thick.  Repeat with the remaining chicken.  Place 4 fresh sage leaves on each cutlet; top with 2 slices of ham and press lightly to adhere.  Place on a baking sheet and refrigerate to set, at least 10 minutes.
2. Place the flour in a shallow dish and season with pepper (no salt is necessary because of the salty ham).  To cook the cutlets, heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.  Working with 2 pieces at a time, dredge both sides of the chicken in flour, then shake off the excess flour - the chicken should be lighly dusted. Without crowding, add 2 pieces of chicken to the skillet, ham side down first, and saute for 3 to 5 minutes per side.  Transfer to a warm platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil.  Repeat with the remaining chicken adding more oil if necessary.  
3. To make the sauce, pour off any excess oil from the skillet.  Return the skillet to the heat.  Add the wine and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits.  Add the stock and increase the heat to high.  Cook until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.  Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.  Spoon the sauce over the chicken, garnish with fresh sage if desired, and serve.

 Southern Slow Cooked Baked Beans

recipe courtesy of Damon Lee Fowler

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (4 cups) pea (white navy) beans, or red kidney, pintos, Great Northern, or a mixed bean assortment
• Salt
• 2 large, or 3 medium onions, 1 trimmed, quartered and peeled, 2 trimmed, split, lengthwise, peeled, and chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup unsulphured molasses
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 1½ cups of tomato sauce or catsup
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard, or more, to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• ½ pound thick sliced bacon

Directions

1. Sort through the beans, discarding any that are discolored or damaged, and rinse them well. Put them in a large, stainless or enameled pot. Add a heavy sprinkle of salt to the beans and cover them by at least 2 inches with cold water. Put this over medium heat and bring the beans slowly to the boiling point. Turn off the heat and let them soak until doubled in bulk, about an hour.
2. If the water is no longer covering the beans, add enough to cover them by an inch and turn on the heat to medium. Add the quartered onion. Bring it slowly back to a boil, reduce the heat to a steady simmer, and cook until tender, about 1 hour, replenishing the liquid with simmering water if necessary (do not add cold or hot tap water). When almost tender, add a tablespoon of salt and simmer at least 10 minutes longer, or until completely tender. The old cooks would take up a small spoonful of beans and blow on them: when the skin blistered, they were ready. Remove and discard onion.
3. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 250 degrees F or prepare a 4-quart slow cooker.
4. Mix together the garlic, molasses, brown sugar, tomato sauce or catsup, mustard and Worcestershire in a small mixing bowl. When the beans are tender, drain them, reserving the cooking liquid, and mix them with the onions in a bean pot, covered casserole, or the crock of the slow cooker. Stir in the seasoning mixture and, if the bacon is not very salty, a pinch of salt. Add enough of the cooking liquid to fully cover them.
5. Cut the bacon in half crosswise. Press a couple of strips into the beans and then completely cover the top with the remainder.
6. Cover and bake slowly at least 5 hours (some cook them overnight, for as long as 8 to 10 hours), adding reserved cooking liquid if the beans get too dry, or cook 1 hour on high in the slow cooker, reduce to low, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. For a crusty, browned top, uncover, and bake an hour longer or transfer from the slow cooker to a bake and serve casserole and bake at 350 for half an hour.  Yields 3 quarts, makes 12-14 servings.

 Chicago Dog Salad

recipe adapted from Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons vinegar, eyeball it
• 1 rounded teaspoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 (10-ounce) sack shredded angel hair cabbage for slaw salads
• 2 vine ripe tomatoes, diced
• 15 baby sweet pickles, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 8 pork, beef, chicken, or turkey hot dogs, cut into 1-inch-thick slices on an angle

Directions

1. In the bottom of a large bowl, combine mustard, vinegar, sugar, and about 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onions, cabbage, tomatoes, and pickles and toss the salad. Season with salt and pepper, adjust seasonings, and reserve.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add in remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (1 turn of the pan) then arrange the sliced dogs in a single layer. Sear them a couple of minutes on each side. Remove to paper towels to drain.
3. Mound up the salad on plates, top with seared dogs, and serve.

 Panko-Crusted Salmon

recipe adapted from "How Easy Is That?"

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup GF panko (Japanese dried bread flakes) 
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of good olive oil
• 4 (6- to 8-ounce) salmon fillets, skin on
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix together panko, parsley, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Drizzle with the olive oil and stir until the crumbs are evenly coated.  Set aside.
3. Place the salmon fillets, skin side down, on a board.  Generously brush the top of the fillets with mustard and then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Press the panko mixture thickly on top of the mustard on each salmon fillet.  The mustard will help the panko adhere.
4. Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or large heavy, ovenproof pan.  When the oil is very hot add the salmon fillet, skin side down, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes, without turning, to brown skin.
5. Transfer the pan to the hot oven for 5 to 7 minutes until salmon is almost cooked and the panko is browned.  Remove from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.  Serve the salmon hot or at room temperature with lemon wedges.