Tuesday, March 19, 2013

VEAL SALTIMBOCCA




I learned this in Rome from Diane Epstein, a really neat New York Mom who moved with her husband and 2 sons to Rome.
This is similar to the Chicken Rolls from Florence.  The Italians love this way of cooking thinly sliced meat.
Originally this recipe called for whole sage leaves but my boys hated biting into a whole leaf so now I chop them.  
  
Serves 4

4 veal cutlets, pounded thin
4 tablespoons flour, for dredging
8 sage leaves, chopped finely
4 slices of prosciutto
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1/3 cup white wine (optional)

Dredge veal slices in flour.
Place chopped sage leaves on top of veal cutlet.
Place slice of prosciutto on top of chopped sage leaves.
Fold in 1 side then other - secure with a toothpick.

Sauté in some olive oil and butter - approximately 2-3 minutes each side until cooked through but not tough.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Optional:  Take veal saltimbocca out of sauté pan.  Add 1/3 cup white wine to your pan and cook stirring any bits in the pan for approximately 2 minutes.  Pour over your veal.

Diane didn’t use this white wine step but I guess the Irish in me always wants to find some way of using alcohol in my cooking!

Monday, March 4, 2013

POPPY SEED BUNDT CAKE

Here is a great cake to make for weekend guests or I often bring it to my ladies tennis matches as it's easy to cut off a piece without needing a plate.  It's simple and a real winner recipe.  My friend Cheryl turned me on to this at least 10 years ago and it is still my "go to" cake for brunches.

Remember how hysterical the scene was in MYBIG FAT GREEK WEDDING with the Greek in laws trying to figure out why the new in laws would bring a cake with a hole in it...I laughed my ass off as they were trying to pronounce B-U-N-D-T cake and when they finally presented it with flowers in the middle I laughed to tears!



Serves 10

1 Duncan Hines Butter Cake Mix
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup canola oil
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Bundt pan


Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Spray Bundt pan with butter spray - or butter and flour your pan.
Beat cake mix, sugar, oil and sour cream together until well blended.
Add 1 egg at a time to the mixture, beating after each.
Stir in poppy seeds and vanilla.
Pour into your prepared Bundt pan.

Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes.