Pork Saltimbocca

[fitfool]

Original recipe called for serving with polenta but I've always served this up with white rice. I've used pancetta instead of prosciutto and I've used boneless chicken breasts instead of pork depending on what I happened to have in my fridge. While the recipe calls for making 6 servings, I've usually made just half as many chops but used the full cup of broth for making the sauce since people seem to really like this sauce. Simple to make but still impressive enough to serve to guests.

Pork Saltimbocca

6 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, trimmed
6 very thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
6 large fresh sage leaves
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon thinly-sliced fresh sage

Yield: 6 servings

1. To prepare pork, place each chop between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, pound to ¼-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Arrange 1 prosciutto slice over each chop top with 1 sage leaf and about 1 tablespoon cheese. Fold chops in half to sandwich filling, and secure with wooden toothpicks. Sprinkle both sides of chops with pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Place flour in shallow dish; dredge stuffed chops in flour.
   
   
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chops; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.
   
   
3. Add wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook until reduced to ¼ cup (about 2 minutes). Add 1 cup broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to ½ cup (about 5 minutes). Stir in 1 tablespoon sage. Reduce heat to medium. Return chops to pan; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, turning once.
   
   
   
   
   Left: filling placed on the flattened piece of pork
   Right: Folded over pork with toothpicks
   
   
   

Recipe from Cooking Light (Nov 2003)

Pork Saltimbocca

thread in food_porn

Comments

[angelninas.livejournal.com]

Oh how wonderful! Thanks for posting this. I've been looking for light meals that aren't always chicken :) I think my "other" is completely burned out on chicken. I like the idea of serving it with rice too.

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I do that too where I get on a kick of cooking a bunch of dishes with one pork or all chicken for a stretch. Mostly it depends on whichever thing goes on sale that week. The rice sops up the sauce nicely. :)

[colorfulimages.livejournal.com]

*salivates*

I've never cooked with wine. I assume you could use whatever cheeses you like?

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

*grin* Glad you like the looks of it. Let me know if you try this recipe. I've used chicken broth instead of wine whenever I didn't have any wine in the house (or if I was serving it to someone who didn't want to taste wine). I would think you can use whatever cheese you like. The last time I served this, my boyfriend said he thought the fontina cheese was too mild and he would've preferred a cheese with more bite to it...perhaps a bleu cheese.

[colorfulimages.livejournal.com]

Or what about pepperjack?

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

Oh I like that idea better. More flavor but not bleu cheese (I never did develop a taste of bleu cheese)

[adventurine.livejournal.com]

That looks delicious!
And the recipe doesn't look intimidating at all...
I'm gonna have to try this...

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

Thanks for commenting. I love hearing back if people try out the recipes I post so I'm hoping to hear from you again.

[annieeats]

Yum! I'm such a sucker for food stuffed inside other food.

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

got any favorite stuffed combinations?

[annieeats]

I once made a flank steak rolled up with stuffed with spinach, roasted bell peppers, and cooked potatoes. It was seared in the pan, baked in the oven, then sliced before serving. Very pretty. I can't remember where I got that recipe now, but I've seen other recipes for stuffed steaks that were similar. Basically you either cut or pound the meat thin then roll it up with anything that sounds tasty.

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

oh yum....a potato and spinach filling sounds like a cool choice. I'll have to try that some time.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Oooooooh. I adore saltimbocca and would be delighted to make it without having to feel badly about the veal. Thank you!

[fitfool.livejournal.com]

Cool. Glad you like the recipe.