Acorn Squash Saltimbocca with Browned Butter Sauce

I almost exclusively roast the acorn squash that I receive in my CSA box. It’s a gold-standard crowd-pleaser. 🙂

After making and absolutely loving both a classic and a summer version of chicken saltimbocca, I was excited to try this unique acorn squash version. Unlike the chicken versions, the squash is roasted instead of fried. After roasting, the skin was tender and completely edible. The browned butter sauce made it amazing- especially because it incorporated sherry vinegar.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Ann Taylor Pittman. I reduced the amount of browned butter (and there was plenty!). I served it with roasted CSA beets, kohlrabi and potatoes along with a green salad. It was a sweet and buttery CSA feast.

I served it as a main dish but it could also be served as a seasonal side.

Yield: Serves 2 to 4 as a main dish

• 1 large (1 1/2-pound) acorn squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt, plus a pinch more for the sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 16 to 18 medium-size fresh sage leaves, divided
• 8 very thin prosciutto slices, halved lengthwise with ends left intact
• 4 T (1/4 cup, 2 ounces) unsalted butter
• 1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey, for drizzling, optional (I omitted it)

1. Preheat oven to 425°F, preferably on convection roast.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise; scoop out and discard seeds and membranes. Cut each half into 4 wedges.
3. Toss together squash wedges, oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
4. Arrange wedges, cut sides down, on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Roast in preheated oven 20 minutes, turning once halfway through. Let cool 5 minutes.
6. Arrange 1 whole sage leaf on rounded flesh side of each squash wedge; wrap 1 prosciutto strip around each squash wedge.
7. Arrange squash wedges on pan, skin sides down. Roast in preheated oven until prosciutto is crisp and squash is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium-high, stirring often with a wooden spoon, just until milk solids begin to sink to bottom of skillet and brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
9. Add 8 to 10 sage leaves; cook, stirring constantly, just until sage stops sizzling. Remove from heat, and let stand 1 minute.
10. Carefully stir in sherry vinegar and remaining pinch of coarse salt.
11. Transfer squash to a warm serving platter, and spoon browned butter sauce over squash. Drizzle with honey, if desired. (I omitted it.) Serve immediately.

Basil Chicken Saltimbocca with Marinated Tomatoes & Mozzarella

We gobbled up the original version of this classic Italian dish when it was published in Bon Appétit. I had to try this summery version of the same dish. It was absolutely incredible.

This recipe was adapted from Half Baked Harvest.com. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts, increased the amount of garlic, and substituted ciliegine mozzarella balls for the burrata. It is an amazing adaptation of the original recipe.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 6 cloves garlic, grated
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh basil, approximately, divided
• 10 thin slices prosciutto
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking
• 2 T balsamic vinegar
• 2 T fresh thyme leaves, optional
• zest of 1 lemon, optional
• 4 oz ciliegine mozzarella balls or 3 balls burrata cheese, torn

1. Working one at a time, place the chicken thighs between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound to achieve even thickness.
2. Place the eggs and Panko in separate shallow bowls. (I used glass pie dishes.)
3. Rub the chicken with garlic (1 clove per chicken thigh) and season with salt and pepper.
4. One at a time, press 2 basil leaves on top of each chicken thigh.
5. Wrap 2 pieces (1 1/2 pieces if small) of prosciutto around each cutlet to secure the basil.
6. Dredge both sides of the chicken through the egg and then through the Panko, pressing gently to adhere. Place the chicken on a plate.
7. Make the marinated tomatoes: In a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, 3 tablespoons olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup fresh basil (chiffonade), and a pinch of salt, as well as the thyme and lemon zest, if using. (I omitted the thyme and lemon zest.) Add the cheese, if using ciliegine. Toss to combine. Set aside.
8. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high.
9. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and cook until the bottom side is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
10. Carefully flip the chicken and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 3-4 minutes.
11. Transfer to a plate and lightly season with salt.
12. Serve the chicken warm topped with the mozzarella/burrata and marinated tomatoes.

Chicken Saltimbocca with Crunchy Pea Salad

I have several weeknight chicken dishes to share. I’m starting with this classic Italian dish.

This is a home-cooked version of an incredible restaurant dish, substituting chicken for veal. Saltimbocca translates to “jumps in your mouth,” the perfect description for this amazingly flavorful prosciutto and sage wrapped meat.

The recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Aaron Crowder, Katie Jackson, and Nick Perkins. I substituted chicken thighs for chicken breasts and used a combination of parsley and cilantro instead of fresh mint. We ate it with sautéed broccoli rabe and roasted potatoes. The chicken was crispy on the outside and moist and tender on the inside. Delicious!

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or 2 (8oz) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 3 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 2 cups panko
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• 8 sage leaves
• 4 to 8 thin slices prosciutto (enough to wrap the chicken)
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 4 scallions, very thinly sliced on a diagonal
• 8 oz sugar snap peas, strings removed, thinly sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup parsley, cilantro, and/or mint leaves, torn if large
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 T extra-virgin olive oil
• flaky sea salt
• lemon wedges, for serving

1. If using chicken thighs, place a thigh on a cutting board between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Gently pound as thin as possible without tearing the meat, about 1/4-inch thick. Repeat with remaining thighs. (If using chicken breasts, place a chicken breast on a cutting board. Holding a knife parallel to board and working along a long side, cut through center of breast until you are ½” from the other side. Open like a book and place butterflied breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Gently pound as thin as possible without tearing meat—about 1/4″ thick and 8″ wide is ideal. Repeat with remaining breast.)
2. Place eggs, panko, and flour in separate shallow bowls (cake pans or pie plates work great).
3. Season meat lightly with kosher salt.
4. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, press 2 sage leaves onto both sides of meat.
5. Wrap 2 pieces of prosciutto around each cutlet to make a belt that holds in the sage. (I used about 2 1/2 pieces per thigh.)
6. Dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
7. Dip in eggs, letting excess drip back into bowl.
8. Coat in panko, pressing lightly to help it adhere, then shaking off excess.
9. Place cutlets on a rimmed baking sheet.
10. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high until very hot (an instant-read thermometer should register 350°–375°).
11. Carefully lower 1 breast along the side of the skillet closest to you and let it slide into oil so it’s lying flat. (I cooked 2 thighs at a time.) Swirl oil in skillet carefully so that cutlet is submerged and cook just until bottom side is golden brown, about 2 minutes.
12. Using tongs, carefully turn and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; season with kosher salt. Let sit 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining meat.
13. Toss scallions, peas, herbs, lemon zest and juice, and olive oil in a medium bowl; season with kosher salt.
14. Arrange chicken on a platter and top with pea salad. Sprinkle with sea salt; serve with lemons.