A shoutout to Trifecta Ecosystems who put some fresh sage in last week’s CSA. That inspired this dish: Veal Saltimbocca (which translates as veal that jumps into your mouth).
This was the dish that Marilyn and I ordered every time we went to Delmonico’s, which once occupied a regal perch at the head of Wooster Street in New Haven. We always preceded the Saltimbocca with a Caesar Salad, made table-side. The ultimate date night.
I would watch carefully as the waiter made the salad, ultimately feeling confident enough to make it at home. Over the 40 years of our marriage, I made at least one Caesar Salad a week, over 2,000 Caesar Salads, most by candlelight, as I always associated Caesar Salad with romance. I will do a blog on it, once it’s safe again to eat romaine.
This Veal Saltimbocca was just as I remembered it at Delmonico’s, from an online recipe at Serious Eats. Here is the step by step:
Pound veal to 1/4 inch thick, salt and pepper one side, flip seasoned side down, and top with fresh sage leaves:
Lay a piece of prosciutto on top of the veal and secure with toothpicks. Coat seasoned side with cornstarch:
Sauté in olive oil over high heat till just browned on bottom. Flip over to prosciutto side, immediately flip again, and then remove to a platter:
Deglaze the pan with butter, fresh sage, white wine and lemon juice:
Remove sage and pour sauce over the veal, and garnish with some uncooked fresh sage leaves:
YUMMY! [and now I’m craving Saltimbocca and a Caesar Salad]