Prosciutto, what fashionable chickens are wearing!

I'm a huge thigh guy. Breasts are okay, but thighs are where my particular fetish lies. So what was I doing with a package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in my freezer? Why did I even have them? I have no idea. Probably bought them on sale at the market. And not just small, pre-pubescent breasts. These rather gargantuan breasts look like they were the unholy offspring of Anna Nicole Smith (and unlike Ms. Smith, these were all-natural, hormone free breasts). Like pork loin and turkey, chicken breasts are only as good as whatever they get slathered and seasoned with, so what to do with these big naturals? It wasn't that hard to come up with ideas, especially when you hew to the mantra that "Everything is better with cured pork". Large breasts, lovingly wrapped in slices Prosciutto di Parma, a version of poultry lingerie perhaps? So with that somewhat disturbing thought in mind, they still needed something else. For that finishing flavor burst and because what's hidden is always more fun (like lingerie I suppose) I came up with this stuffing, and it worked out exceptionally well, but you could easily sub in any number of equally acceptable flavoring alternatives. Some very quick assembly, a few minutes over the coals, and in well under an hour you can have yourself breasts that would be the envy of more than a few less fortunates!
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Prosciutto Wrapped Stuffed Chicken Breasts
an E.D.T. original
ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley
1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons pine nuts, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmiagiano-Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Six slices of Prosciutto di Parma

method:
1- Start coals in barbeque. Rinse off breasts and pat dry. Take a sharp knife and carefully make pockets in the thick side of breast. Don't slice end to end, make your cut in the middle, then work the tip of your knife blade into the ends to make space there. Season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.

2-Combine next six ingredients and season lightly with salt and pepper. Using your fingers carefully stuff pockets in breasts (breast pockets?!) with stuffing mix. As you can see from the picture, they don't have to be perfectly clean, as the breast gets wrapped in the prosciutto. Of course I'm also not the neatest cook, so you can probably do better.










3-Lay out two slices of prosciutto lengthwise, slightly overlapping them. Lay stuffed breasts in the middle across the grain, and wrap each end of the prosciutto up and over the breast. Repeat with the other breast. Hopefully you'll have a couple of slices of prosciutto leftover, as I did, to enjoy with an icy glass of French rosé while the breasts are cooking!











4-When coals are ready, dump on one side of your grill, and when fire is medium hot, carefully lay wrapped breasts on the grill over the fire. Watch carefully as the melting fat from the prosciutto has an annoying habit of starting fires in the grill. Cook on one side for 6-10 minutes (depending on size of breast), then flip over and cook other side (if one breast is larger than the other, call a plastic surgeon. Hahahaha...um, just kidding. Move the smaller one to the side of the grill off the fire while continuing to cook the larger piece). When chicken is done, transfer to a cutting board and cover lightly with foil. Let rest for ten minutes, then cut across the grain to make 1/2"-3/4" medallions. Arrange attractively on your plate (a side of polenta was lovely, btw), and enjoy!

cooks note: I like the prosciutto sliced slightly thicker than the paper thin slices you usually get. It wraps easier and holds together better. When is the chicken done? That's always a tough question. One website said cook it to 170*. You do that and you'll end up with a bone dry, leather like piece of bird. I would say 140-150*. I didn't stick mine with the instaread, I just used my best judgment and it worked out fine.
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one year ago today @ E.D.T.: a dinner party in three parts. Part one: appetizers!

Spanish smoke: Grilled Swordfish with Pimenton

Even I can only eat so much pork, beef, and all the wonderful by products that flow from those two of god's creatures who are thankfully lower on the food chain than us...pancetta, pork belly, rib eyes, the holiest of porcine-bovine combinations, bacon-cheeseburgers...just thinking about them makes me salivate. But as is aid, sometimes a person needs a break, and thanks to the NYT's Mark Bittman I came across this fabulous swordfish preparation that had much approval at our dinner table last night. You can watch Bittman's accompanying video by clicking here.

This particular...and very easy...preparation makes liberal use of pimenton, or Spanish smoked paprika, which is going to fast become my favorite spice. Now I've never been a big fan of swordfish as I usually prefer fish that is slightly less "steak-like" in texture, but man was this good. I think too many places also overcook the fish, which is never a good thing. Following Bittman's directions though gave a perfectly cooked, tender steak. His pimenton marinade (brushed on the fish steaks prior to cooking in right photo) was a perfect foil to the swordfish as well, adding smoky, spicy complexity without overwhelming the flavor of the fish itself. Plus the pimenton aioli, taking the place of a tartar sauce was an awesome accompaniment. Even made with regular Best Foods as he suggested rather than homemade it rocked! I also got double duty by using the leftover as a sandwich spread that totally upped the ante on a roast chicken sando today. Served alongside some roasted fingerlings (that were also so good dipped into the aioli) and some slices of fresh tomatoes out of our garden, it was exactly the right ticket if you want to catch the non-red meat train!
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Grilled Fish with Pimentón Aioli
from Mark Bittman/The New York Times

Time: 20 minutes

ingredients:
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 teaspoons pimentón
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 swordfish or other fish steaks, about 1 1/2 pounds
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Lemon juice to taste.

method:
1. Start a grill or preheat broiler. Mix together all but 1/2 teaspoon garlic, some salt and pepper, half the pimentón and olive oil. Brush one side of fish steaks with this mixture (if you are broiling, brush both sides). Put on grill, sauced side down, and brush other side. Grill or broil, turning once, until done, 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise with remaining garlic and pimentón; add a little lemon juice and whisk; taste and adjust seasoning. Serve fish with a dollop of aioli.

Yield: 4 servings.

Your next dinner party: part 2- entrée and side

So now that you've had the perfect start with the guacamole and padron peppers from yesterday's post, the edge is off the hunger and a little groove is setting in from the pre-dinner beverages, it's time to really kick it in and get the love going with this awesome, über-seasonal roasted corn potato salad and a kick ass grilled leg of lamb. Both of these are, as everything should be when you're entertaining, really easy, low stress mains that will get raves at the table.

The roasted corn potato salad is something I discovered last year on epicurious and I absolutely loved it. Grilling the corn really caramelizes the sugars and intensifies the flavors. With all the corn flooding farmer's markets, even if you don't make this salad it is a great way to cook fresh corn for regular off the cob eating. In the salad there's this residual smokiness to the kernels that with the grilled red peppers really sets your tastebuds buzzing. And of course, the addition of bacon doesn't hurt either...mmmm, cured pork products!

And when isn't a grilled butterflied leg of lamb a good idea? Unless you're a cute fuzzy little lamb running around on three legs of course. But for those of us on top of the food chain it's the perfect dinner party dish. This is a recipe I got off of epicurious that I've done three or four times and it always kills. This time for whatever reason was the best yet. The rub/marinade (picture above left) is fantastic. Pungent with garlic, fresh herbs, pepper, salt. I think it was the extra time I gave it in the marinade, and the fact that it got this nice crust from the super hot charcoal fire. Whatever it was, it turned out perfectly medium-rare and was so succulent....wow, I'm salivating all over again thinking about it! Oh, and while the meat is resting, don't forget to squeeze some lemon juice on it like I almost did. Also,unless you're a fan of extra work or unduly proud of your knife skills, have your butcher do the boning of the leg. For something this good, I had to open the Chateauneuf du Pape you might have read about a couple of days ago. It worked so well, but you could also do practically any full-bodied red like a good cab or zin. A nice full Italian Barbera is also one of my favorite things to drink with anything off the 'que. Whatever you open, just make sure there's plenty, because this dinner is all about food and wine enjoyment!
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Potato and Roasted Corn Salad
from epicurious.com
makes 8 servings.

ingredients:
3 ears fresh corn, unhusked
2 large red bell peppers
1-1/2 pounds 1 1/2- to 2-inch-diameter unpeeled red-skinned potatoes, quartered
4 thick bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)
1 cup chopped green onions
3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

method:
1.Prepare barbecue (high heat). Grill corn until husks are blackened on all sides, turning occasionally, about 15 minutes. Cool 15 minutes. Remove husks and silk. Cut kernels from cobs.
2.Cut 1/2 inch from top and bottom of each pepper. Quarter each pepper lengthwise. Trim ribs and seeds from peppers. Flatten pieces, breaking slightly, if necessary. Place peppers on grill, skin side down. Grill without turning until skins are blackened and blistered, about 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Peel peppers; cut into 1/2-inch squares.
3.Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain; let cool 5 minutes in strainer. Transfer to large bowl.
4.Sauté bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels.
5.Whisk oil and vinegar in small bowl to blend. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1/4 cup dressing over potatoes; toss to coat. Add corn, bell peppers, bacon, onions, oregano, and 3 tablespoons additional dressing (you can also add the blue cheese at this point. We left it out because the salad was tasting so fresh without it, and it made it a little lighter- BB); toss to coat. Season salad with salt and pepper. Add remaining dressing by tablespoonfuls to moisten, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb with lemon, herbs, and garlic
from epicurious/Gourmet

from Gourmet: "This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time. Butterflied leg of lamb can sometimes get a little unwieldy. To secure loose flaps of meat, run 2 long metal skewers lengthwise and 2 skewers crosswise through the lamb, bunching the meat together. Securing the lamb this way will also help it cook more evenly."

Serves 8.

ingredients:

For herb rub
8 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons olive oil Paste

a 7- to 8-pound leg of lamb, trimmed of all fat, boned, and butterflied by butcher (4 to 4 3/4 pounds boneless)
1 lemon

method:

Make herb rub:
Finely chop garlic and in a small bowl stir together with remaining herb-rub ingredients.

Put lamb in a large dish and with tip of a sharp small knife held at a 45-degree angle cut 1/2-inch-deep slits all over lamb, rubbing herb mixture into slits and all over lamb. Marinate lamb at room temperature 1 hour (I did three hours-bb). Prepare grill. Lightly pat lamb dry. On a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals grill lamb about 10 minutes on each side, or until an instant-read thermometer horizontally inserted into thickest part of meat registers 125°F for medium-rare. (Alternatively, roast lamb in a roasting pan in middle of a 425°F oven about 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer horizontally inserted into meat registers 125°F for medium-rare.) Transfer lamb to a cutting board. Halve and seed lemon. Squeeze juice over lamb and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 15 minutes. Cut lamb into slices and serve with any juices that have accumulated on cutting board.

Lamb, figs, and fire? Bring it on!

Lamb, figs, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, fire......what's not to like?? If you think I'm not running to the market tomorrow to buy my lamb shoulder to recreate this Mark Bittman recipe from Wednesday's NY Times, you would be sadly mistaken. Check it out.....I dare you not to salivate in anticipation!

photo from NY Times