Thyme for                         Cooking

 Turkey Piccata
Risotto al Salto
Sautéed Carrots with Bacon and Onions
Cooking time:  30 minutes for menu
Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions

    I normally have no problem with leftover risotto: either there isn't any or it gets eaten straight from the fridge.   But, that meant that I never had the chance to make Risotto al Salto, the traditional Milanese dish using it.  I knew I would have some left from Saturday - the perfect opportunity.  I normally use bacon with the carrots but if you have a bit of Prosciutto left, use it.

Turkey Cutlets Piccata                                                 Time: 25 minutes
    Thinly sliced turkey cutlets cook quickly and are a great substitute for the veal cutlets normally used in this dish.  If you can't get them get a turkey tenderloin and either slice it into thin cutlets yourself or ask your butcher. You could also use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

2 - 4 turkey cutlets, 12oz, (350gr)
1/2 onion  (use the rest in the carrots)
2 tbs capers
1 lemon
1/2 cup chicken stock (broth) - reserve 1 tbs for cornstarch
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbs cornstarch (maizena, corn flower) dissolved in 1 tbs chicken broth
1 tbs olive oil

Chop the onion.  Slice the lemon and pick the seeds out of the slices.  In medium nonstick skillet sauté the onion until tender.  Move onions to sides of pan and sauté turkey cutlets until lightly brown on both sides.  Add the chicken stock, wine and the capers.  Place the lemon slices on top of the turkey cutlets, cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Remove turkey cutlets (with lemon slices on top) to a platter and keep warm.  Stir in the cornstarch mixture and heat, stirring until thick. Serve cutlets with sauce on the side - sprinkle on more capers if you like.

Risotto al Salto                                                           Time: 25 minutes
     This is the traditional Milanese dish using leftover risotto. The risotto used should be simple, without large pieces of meat or vegetables.  I used leftover Ricotta risotto, which was creamier than normal and required the longer cooking times to get 'dry' enough to turn.  If you have 2 cups risotto use 2 eggs, a 10" (25cm) skillet and twice the oil and butter.   

1 cup leftover risotto, room temperature
1 egg
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp butter

Remove risotto from fridge and let warm to room temperature.  (If you didn't take it out early enough, spread it on a plate to warm up a bit - or micro-wave it)  Lightly whisk egg in a medium bowl.  Add risotto and mix.  Heat 1 tsp oil and 1 tsp butter in 8" (20cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the risotto to the center of the pan and spread it out with the back of the spoon.  Sauté 10 - 20 minutes, until it holds together and the top starts to look dry.  You should be able to carefully lift up the edge with a spatula.  Once you can, take a peak to see how brown it is.  It should be a nice medium-dark brown before turning.  I turned it using 2 plates: slide it onto one plate, put the other on top.  Flip it over and slide it back into the skillet, to which you have add the remaining butter and oil, uncooked side down.  Cook an additional 5 - 10 minutes, until browned.  Remove, cut into quarters and serve. 

Sautéed Carrots with Bacon & Onion                              Time 25 minutes
     Based on an Italian recipe using pancetta.  The bacon works well with the sweet carrots and cooking off the pan juices leaves them with a lovely glaze.

2 - 3 carrots - depending on size and hunger
1 tsp olive oil
2 slices bacon or Prosciutto (different taste...)
1/2 onion
pepper

Peel carrots, cut in half, then each half again so you have carrot sticks. Chop onion.  Put oil in small skillet and add bacon, frying until crisp.  Remove bacon and all but 1 tbs fat.  Add onions and sauté until transparent.  Add carrots and 1/4 cup water, cover and simmer until done - about 15 minutes. Uncover, turn heat up a bit and cook off pan juices.  Crumble bacon.  Add bacon and pepper to carrots and serve.
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Cooking Schedule: 30 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Take risotto out of fridge (earlier if you remember)
Warm risotto to room temperature
Start to sauté bacon for carrots
Chop the onion
Start to sauté onion for turkey
Whisk egg
Add risotto
Turn bacon
Heat butter and oil in skillet for risotto
Add risotto, spread out and let cook
Remove bacon, fat, add onions and sauté
Add turkey cutlets and brown

Peel and cut carrots
Add carrots, water, cover and simmer
Turn turkey
Mind the risotto pancake
Slice the lemon, remove pips
Add wine, stock, lemon and capers to turkey
Cover turkey and simmer
Turn the risotto pancake
Crumble bacon
Dissolve cornstarch in stock
Uncover carrots, let cook off
Remove turkey, thicken sauce, arrange on platter
Remove risotto cake, slice
Add bacon to carrots, serve all

 

 

 

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Menu for the week of January 11, 2008

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