Top Chef...meets ME!

                                                                       

One of my favorite recipes is for Veal Sorrentino.  I came by it in a very amusing way.  We celebrated my husband's 30th birthday with a trip up to the Berkshires. We left our one and a half year old son with my parents and off we went...alone... for the first time since he was born!

                                                                                   

 While we were at the resort we made the acquaintance of the chef d'hotel,

who was there temporarily that summer because his wife was pregnant and unable to bear the heat of the city.  He was actually the head chef at a fabulous, popular and pricey New York City restaurant, but was on leave to work in the Berkshires until the weather cooled down some and his wife could comfortably return to the city. The  first evening we were there we ordered his Veal Sorrentino for dinner...and we just loved it...such a wonderful combination of flavors and textures...After dinner and a long walk around the grounds we went into the bar, and there was the chef...sitting alone at the bar. I walked over and complimented him on the outstanding food we had eaten for dinner.  He invited us to join him, and my husband bought a round of drinks.  We were quite a way behind him so by the time my husband bought the third round, Chef was about three drinks ahead of us and oooh, soooo mellow.  I said that I knew that chefs  never gave away a recipe, but I would so love to know what went into the Veal Sorrentino...and he said that he would be delighted to not only give me the recipe, but instruct me in the cooking procedure, too!  I grabbed a handful of cocktail napkins from the bar and furiously wrote as he spoke .  I copied every word verbatim.  He then offered a Chicken Cacciatore recipe as a bonus!!  I wrote wildly as he spoke , lest he sober up and realize what he had done. My concern over whether the condition of the chef was impaired while divulging his secrets was put to rest the first time I made each dish.  They are simply delicious and big favorites of my family and friends to this day.  I am totally sober as I share his wonderful recipes with you...

                                                                           

VEAL SORRENTINO

6 filets of veal (or chicken)
6 thin slices of proscuitto
6 thin slices of peeled eggplant
6 slices of mozzarella cheese
flour
4 tbsp. olive oil
butter
sherry or white wine
2 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper

1-In a large skillet or saute' pan, heat the olive oil...heat on medium
2- Dredge slices of proscuitto and veal together  in flour and saute' in oil until brown on each side
3- when sauteed on both sides, throw away the oil and add 3 tbsp of butter.  Throw garlic in at this time until the flavor infuses the butter...but do not burn (garlic turns bitter when burnt)
4- Place a slice of eggplant on proscuitto side of veal and saute' until golden...add 1/2 cup sherry or white wine to make a brown gravy and saute until 3/4 done.
5- Add salt and pepper to taste.
6- Place a slice of mozzarella cheese on each eggplant side and cover skillet until cheese melts

This is wonderful with long grain and wild rice and a ceasar salad, garlic bread and a rose' or white wine.

Diced Caprese Salad wonderful with the

Veal Sorrentino and the Chicken Cacciatore

CHICKEN CACCIATORE

1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 chicken cut in 1/8ths1
 lg. onion chopped
8 medium mushrooms, sliced
1 green pepper chopped
flour
1/2 cup sherry
3 tbsp. tomato paste
10 lg. basil leaves minced
1 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

1- Dredge chicken in flour
2- In 4 tbsp of olive oil saute onions ... then add garlic until onions are transparent.
3-Add mushrooms.
4-Saute the flour dredged chicken with mushrooms, garlic and onions...until pink
5- Throw away the oil and add green pepper, chicken stock, sherry and tomato paste.  Add minced basil and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and simmer until chicken is done.

This is wonderful over white rice.  I serve it with a mozzarella, tomato and basil salad, (see photo above) garlic bread and a nice white wine.  On a cold wintery night this is a yummy, hearty meal...