CIA Culinary Intelligence

Veal Saltimbocca

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Masters Collection®

Thin cutlets of tender veal make this Roman classic an elegant, yet simple meal that can be prepared in minutes. Literally translated as "jumps in the mouth," saltimbocca bursts with the flavor of veal, sage, prosciutto, white wine and butter. Selecting an accompaniment for this versatile dish is just as easy as its preparation. From pasta and polenta to potatoes, veal saltimbocca pairs well with a variety of side dishes.

Ingredients

Makes 8 servings
2 pounds fettuccine noodles
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds boneless veal cutlets
4 teaspoons sage, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
16 prosciutto slices, paper-thin
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups butter, chilled and cubed
1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
1 lemon, cut into eighths

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta in the boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender to the bite. Toss with two tablespoons olive oil and keep warm.
2. Pound cutlets to an even thickness of about 1/4-inch between two pieces of plastic wrap. Season the veal with sage, salt and pepper. Place one slice of prosciutto atop each cutlet.
3. Lightly coat veal in flour; shake off excess. Heat two tablespoons olive oil in heavy, large skillet over medium-high heat. Add four pieces of veal and cook until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add fresh oil as needed until all of the veal is cooked Transfer veal to a platter and keep warm.
4. Pour off excess fat, add the wine to the skillet, and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Boil until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
5. Whisk in the chilled butter, two tablespoons at a time. Season sauce with salt, pepper and chopped parsley.
6. Serve the veal immediately accompanied by the fettuccine. Pour 1/4 cup sauce over the top of each portion and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Nutrition information per serving without pasta:
830 calories, 39 g protein, 25 g carbohydrate, 61 g fat, 690 mg sodium, 240 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber.

Cook with the proper tools. Use the 12" Sauté and the 10" Sauce Whisk to create Blue Cheese Crusted Tenderloin of Beef.

This recipe is from The Culinary Institute of America's Gourmet Meals in Minutes cookbook, which is available for purchase at bookstores nationwide.

Chocolate-Dipped Anything

We can all agree that there are not many limits on what you might consider suitable to dip in chocolate. This Valentine's Day, create your own fun and romantic dessert of sinful indulgence. Strawberries, dried fruit, and pretzels are traditionally dipped in chocolate, but tradition is made to be broken. Put together your own vision of luscious chocolate-dipped bits and pieces. Pears are superb dipped in dark or milk chocolate, and pineapple mixes well with milk chocolate. With one taste of the decadent morsels you prepare, your sweetheart is guaranteed to melt.

When prepared with a quality brand of chocolate, fresh-dipped cannot compare to ready-made from the store. "Tempered chocolate is the preferred ingredient for dipping," says CIA Chef Peter Greweling. "Many home candy makers are intimidated by the thought of tempering chocolate. In truth, the process is much simpler than getting behind the wheel to drive. With just a little practice and patience, you can use the seeding method below to properly temper chocolate every time."

When your schedule, your ambition, or your kitchen temperature make it impractical or impossible for you to temper chocolate, you can still make chocolate-coated confections by using "coating chocolate" or compound coating. While this is not true chocolate, it is quick to work with, is very forgiving of warm temperatures, and can be used as a coating on any product. Coating chocolate can be found online and in specialty and candy-making stores.

You can find these recipes and more in The Culinary Institute of America's Chocolates and Confections at Home (2010, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) cookbook available at bookstores or at www.ciaprochef.com/fbi/books/ChocolatesatHome.html.

Watch the video on Youtube >

Tempering Chocolate

1. Weigh or measure the chocolate you will be tempering. As always, weight is the preferred method for measuring any ingredients; otherwise, use the following chocolate conversion table:
   • 6 ounces = 1 cup pistoles or chopped chocolate, 1/2-inch pieces
   • 8 ounces = 1 1/3 cups pistoles or chopped chocolate, 1/2-inch pieces
   • 10 ounces = 1 cup melted chocolate
   • 8 ounces = 3/4 cup melted chocolate
2. Weigh or measure a second amount of chocolate equal to 25 percent of the original amount.
3. Fully melt the larger amount of chocolate using either a microwave or water bath. Remove the bowl of melted chocolate from the heat. The chocolate should be 120 degrees F for dark chocolate or 110 degrees F for milk or white chocolate.
4. Add the smaller amount of unmelted chocolate to the melted chocolate. This is called the seed; it will cool the melted chocolate and cause it to set the way you want. You can use either pistoles or a single block as the seed; a single block has the advantage of easy removal once the chocolate is tempered.
5. Stir the melted chocolate gently and constantly until the temperature falls to 85 degrees F for dark chocolate or 83 degrees F for milk or white chocolate. This will take 15 to 20 minutes, and most or all of the seed should have melted by the end of this time.
6. Test the chocolate. Testing chocolate for temper is the only way to know for sure that chocolate is actually tempered. Following temperatures is a good guideline, but even with strict adherence to technique, no one can tell for sure whether chocolate is tempered without performing a test to see how it sets.
   • Make sure the chocolate is below 90 degrees F for dark or 87 degrees F for milk or white chocolate.
   • Dip a spoon in the chocolate, place the spoon on the work surface, and leave it undisturbed for 7 to 8 minutes in the working room at 68 degrees F. Do not yield to the temptation to refrigerate the spoon! This will only give inaccurate results.
   • After 8 minutes have passed, look closely at the chocolate on the spoon. If the chocolate has set so that it no longer looks wet, and the surface is uniform and without streaks, the chocolate is tempered.
   • If the chocolate has not set or has set with a streaky appearance, the chocolate requires further seeding (see step 8).
7. If the chocolate sets properly, gently warm it over a water bath not exceeding 89 degrees F for dark chocolate or 86 degrees F for milk or white chocolate.
8. If all the seed has melted but the chocolate is not setting quickly without streaks or spots, it must be seeded more. Add a few more pistoles or another small block to the bowl, and stir for another 3 to 4 minutes. After this time, test again (step 6), and proceed from there.
9. Remove any unmelted seeds from the melted chocolate.
10. Use the chocolate as desired while maintaining the proper working temperature.

How To Dip

1. Prepare the centers. The centers to be dipped should be dry and at a cool room temperature. When dipping fruit in chocolate, allow it to warm to room temperature rather than dipping it while it is ice-cold from the refrigerator. If cutting fruit for dipping, dry the cut pieces with a paper towel to remove excess moisture from the surface of the fruit.
2. Temper the chocolate or melt the coating. Dipping centers in untempered chocolate will result in bloom and chocolate that is not sufficiently crisp. If using a compound coating, follow the manufacturer's guidelines for temperature.
3. Dip the centers. The centers may be entirely enrobed in the chocolate by dipping with a fork, or partially coated by holding one end of the center and dipping up to the desired level in the chocolate.
4. Allow the chocolate to set. Placing the dipped centers on parchment paper to set keeps them clean and ensures that they will not stick to the surface. This step should always be performed at room temperature to obtain the best shine and snap from the chocolate.