chicken saltimbocca
Making chicken saltimbocca involves pounding the chicken, frying, preparing sauce, marinating, and baking. The word saltimbocca comes from the Italian language and means to "jump in the mouth." Bocca means mouth in Italian.
Boca is also mouth in Spanish. Usually I can sort out where a word in Spanish relates to an English word, but I never figured out the association for boca. I guess that it comes from the Latin word bucca, which means cheek. That makes me think of the English word buttock, though all the pages say there is no relation.
Anyway, here's the recipe. I've never made it myself because I generally avoid recipes involving pounding as too much work. Let me know if it is any good. It looks good.
2 whole split skinned and boned chicken breasts
3 tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 tsp crumbled sage leaves
4 slices Swiss cheese
olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 C dry sherry or chicken broth
2 thin slices cooked ham
1/2 C Parmesan cheese
1. Rinse the chicken breasts. Place them between two sheets of plastic wrap. Pound the breasts until each one is 2 1/2 to 3 times their original size.
2. Pour just enough oil in a wide frying pan to coat the bottom and place over high heat.
3. Put the chicken in the hot oil. Cook until the edges become white, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the pieces over and cook until the meat turns white on both sides. Add oil as needed to prevent sticking.
4. Arrange the chicken pieces slightly overlapping in a shallow baking dish.
5. Reduce the heat in the frying pan to medium and add butter. When the butter has melted add the broth and sage. Scrape the brown bits free. Bring the sauce to boil and remove from the heat.
6. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Let the chicken stand for an hour.
7. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
8. Cut the ham and cheese slices into strips and distribute evenly over the chicken.
9. Bake uncovered in the oven for about 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
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