Salsa Rosa Michael Chiarello Food

CHICKEN MILANESE WITH SALSA ROSA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• With a meat mallet or a rolling pin, pound the chicken cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap to 1/8-inch thickness. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper and press the seasonings into the meat with your fingers.
• Make the coating: Combine the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Work in the olive oil by hand, then spread the mixture on a dinner plate. Spread the flour on another dinner plate. Break the eggs into a shallow bowl and beat lightly. Dip the cutlets in the flour, coating both sides and shaking off the excess. Then dip in the egg, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Finally, coat the cutlets on both sides with the seasoned bread crumbs, pressing them into place. As each cutlet is coated, place it on a tray. Cover the cutlets and refrigerate until you are ready to fry them.
• Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add olive oil to a depth of 1/4-inch. When the oil is almost smoking, add as many cutlets as the skillet will hold comfortably; do not crowd the pan. Cook until the cutlets are golden on the bottom, about 1 minute. Turn and cook on the second side about 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. With tongs, lift the cutlets as they are done, allowing any excess oil to drain back into the skillet, and transfer to cookie sheet lined with paper bag to drain excess oil. Repeat with the remaining cutlets.
• When ready to serve, place chicken cutlets on cookie sheet to finish cooking, about 2 minutes.
• Place the arugula in a large bowl. Drizzle with enough extra-virgin olive oil to coat the leaves lightly. Add a squeeze of lemon and some salt and pepper. Toss, taste, and adjust the seasoning.
• Divide the cutlets among 4 plates, placing them in the center. Spoon a little Salsa Rosa on each side of the cutlets. Mound the arugula salad on top. With a vegetable peeler, shave a little Parmesan on top of the salad.
• Michael's Notes: If you like my version of Chicken Milanese, and I know you will, try the same method on pounded veal, turkey breasts or on very thin swordfish steaks.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the bell peppers lightly with olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Bake, turning every 10 to 15 minutes, until the peppers are blistered all over, about 30 minutes total. Transfer the peppers to a brown paper bag, and close tightly so they steam as they cool. You can roast the peppers under the broiler or over a gas flame, if you prefer, but I like to do them in a hot oven. It takes a little longer, but you don't have to monitor them as closely.
• While peppers are steaming, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over high heat. Add the whole chiles, lower the heat to moderate, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chiles are softened, lightly browned, and blistered on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the chilies cool in the oil for several minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the stems.
• Add more oil to the skillet, if needed, to make 2 tablespoons. Reheat the oil over moderate heat and add the garlic. Cook until lightly browned, about 30 seconds, then add the oregano and saute briefly to release its fragrance. Add the tomato puree and salt, bring to a simmer, and simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
• Remove peppers from bag, peel and remove the stems, seeds, and ribs; avoid the temptation to rinse the peppers, which would wash away flavor. You should have about 4 cups.
• Combine the red peppers, serrano chiles, and tomato sauce in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the vinegar and the black pepper to taste and puree again. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
• Yield: about 4 cups

SALSA ROSA - MICHAEL CHIARELLO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat the bell peppers lightly with olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Bake, turning every 10 to 15 minutes, until the peppers are blistered all over, about 30 minutes total. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so they steam as they cool. Peel the peppers and remove the stems, seeds, and ribs; avoid the temptation to rinse the peppers, which would wash away flavor. You should have about 4 cups.
• Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over high heat. Add the whole chilies, lower the heat to moderate, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chilies are softened, lightly browned, and blistered on all sides. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the chilies cool in the oil for several minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the chilies and remove the stems and seeds (or leave some or all of the seeds if you prefer a spicy sauce). Chop the chilies finely, then use the side of your knife to mash them to a paste.
• Add more oil to the skillet if needed to make 2 tablespoons. Reheat the oil over moderate heat and add the garlic. Cook until lightly browned, about 30 seconds, then add the oregano and sauté briefly to release its fragrance. Add the tomato puree and salt, bring to a simmer, and simmer for about 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
• Combine the red peppers, serrano chilies, and tomato sauce in a blender and puree until smooth. Add the vinegar and the black pepper to taste and puree again. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 4 months.

GRILLED CORN SALSA

Steps:

• Brush the corn liberally with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Grill, turning every few minutes, until light gold all over and cooked, about 12 minutes. Let cool and cut off the kernels. Discard the cobs.
• Core the tomatoes and cut a small X on the bottom of each. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on the grill, X side down, away from direct heat. Cover the grill and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften but are not cooked all the way through (or they will melt through the grate!), about 15 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out the juice and the seeds through a sieve into a bowl. Reserve the juices and chop the flesh.
• Put the onions in the non-reactive medium bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Let marinate until the color changes, about 10 minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, onions, basil, and 1/3 cup olive oil to the corn. Toss well. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper, and remaining vinegar. The salsa is best eaten the same day but will keep, covered and refrigerated, a day or so.
• Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping for tacos.

SALSA ROSA TOSSED WITH SPAGHETTINI TOPPED WITH GRILLED FLANK STEAK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat peppers with olive oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Salt liberally. Bake in the oven, turning every 10 minutes until peppers are blistered and black, about 20 to 30 minutes total.
• Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a hot saute pan. Add the serrano chiles and the garlic. Lower the heat to moderate, and cook, turning occasionally, until the chiles are softened, lightly browned, and blistered on all sides. Remove the pan from the heat and let the chiles cool in the oil for several minutes
• When the roasted bell peppers are blistered and blackened, removed them from the oven, place in a glass bowl and cover with plastic wrap. This will steam the skins off and make them easier to remove. After 15 to 20 minutes, remove the peppers and peel. Remove the seeds, stems and ribs. Do not run under water - this will just wash the flavor off! You should have about 4 cups.
• Note: You can roast the peppers under the broiler or over a gas flame, if you prefer, but I like to do them in a hot oven. It takes a little longer, but you don't have to monitor them as closely.
• Chop the garlic finely, then use the side of your knife to mash them to a paste - a pinch of grey salt will help this process. Mashing insures that the garlic add just an undercurrent of flavor, with no big pieces to bite into. Add to the blender.
• When cool enough to handle, peel the chiles and remove the stems and seeds (or leave some or all of the seeds if you prefer a spicy sauce). Then add the tomato puree and the oregano (no need to chop the oregano because it's going to be blended in). Add to the blender the olive oil used to roast the chilis and garlic. Turn the blender on high until everything is smooth and thick.
• Turn a medium saute pan on high for 30 seconds with about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Stand back as you pour the blender mixture into the pan. Be careful, it can splatter. This second heating brings the flavors together. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the red wine vinegar. The vinegar gives it a little sharpness and protects it in the refrigerator for about a week.
• Ladle it into canning jars and store in the refrigerator for a week. It can be frozen for 5 months.
• Preheat a grill to high. Season the steak with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Grill the steak to medium-rare, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and let rest for 10 minutes.
• To a large pot of boiling, salted water, add the spaghettini and cook to al dente. Drain and toss with the salsa rossa.
• Slice the flank steak thinly against the grain and place on top of the pasta.

SPAGHETTINI SQUARED: PASTA WITH OLIVE OIL, GARLIC, AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, cut the zucchini with the fine French-fry cutter on a mandoline. If you do not have one, cut by hand into the longest, finest julienne you can manage. Season with salt and pepper. If your zucchini is very finely cut, it does not need to be cooked. Otherwise, place in a colander, suspend over the pasta pot, cover the pot, and steam the zucchini until still slightly crunchy, about 2 minutes. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and saute briefly until light brown. Turn on the exhaust fan and add the red pepper flakes. Quickly mix in the basil and parsley and remove from the heat. When the pasta is al dente, drain through a colander, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Pour the pasta into a warm serving bowl; add the zucchini, basil oil, the garlic mixture, and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Toss well, adding cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as needed. Grate about 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top and serve at once. Cook's Note: The reason to save the basil oil to toss with the pasta at the end is so the oil will have a fresh, uncooked taste.
• Basil Oil (and other herb flavored oils):
• For soft herbs, such as basil, parsley, cilantro or tarragon: Use 4 cups packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil. For woody herbs, such as rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano or lemon verbena: Use 1 cup packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil. In a blender, puree the herbs and oil until completely smooth. Put the mixture in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 45 seconds, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Don't press on the mixture, but you can tap the strainer against your hand to get the oil to drip through faster. Immediately strain the oil again through a flat-bottomed paper filter. If the filter clogs, you may need to change the filter partway through. It's okay to pick the filter up and squeeze it gently to get the oil out faster, but be careful not to break the filter. (Sometimes a little dark liquid comes through the filter first. Don't worry; that's water. It will settle to the bottom because it is heavier than the oil.) Let the filtered oil settle for a few hours, then pour it off the dark liquid. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. Cook's Notes: The oil passes through the filter faster if it's filtered while still hot, so set up your filter before you start the recipe. You'll need a flat-bottomed paper filter, like those used for some drip coffee machines. Cone-shaped filters tend to get clogged. Yield: about 1 1/3 cups

SKIRT STEAK "SALTIMBOCCA"

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the steak into 3 1/2 to 4-ounce pieces. Pound each steak out evenly to about 25 percent of its original thickness. Season them with pepper. On top of each steak place a slice of provolone, some sage leaves, and 2 slices prosciutto. Roll them up into a pinwheel and secure with toothpicks.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the pinwheels until they are brown on both sides. Place them in the oven and roast until they are medium rare, about 7 minutes. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes before carving them into bite-sized wheels.
• Put the skillet back on medium-high heat. Add the remaining sage leaves and cook until they are crispy. Drain them on paper towels; use them to garnish steak.