Chicken Rolls with prosciutto and goat cheese

6 thin slices chicken breasts, pounded slightly if necessary 

6 thin slices prosciutto

5 - 6 oz. goat cheese, room temperature

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. spice rub of choice 

2 Tbsp. olive oil

 

Preheat oven to 375F.  Place chicken on parchment, sprinkle both sides with spice rub, salt and pepper to taste.  Lay a slice of prosciutto on each breast and spread each with some of the goat cheese.  Roll up like jelly rolls.

Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and sear the rolls, seam side down until golden on all sides.  Place in an ovenproof dish and bake about 12 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through.  Serve with roasted onion vinaigrette.

roasted onion vinaigrette 

small red onion, cut in half crosswise

3/4C olive oil

3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F.  Place the onion and olive oil in a small ovenproof dish and cover tightly.  Bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until the onion is soft.  Let the onion cool in the olive oil, and then remove the onion, reserving the oil.  Julienne the onion and place in a medium bowl.  Add the balsamic vinegar and slowly whisk in the reserved olive oil.  Add the chives and season with salt and pepper to taste.

MAKES:  6 servings

 

Grilled Prosciutto-wrapped chicken stuffed with mozzarella

6 medium chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless

salt and pepper to taste

spice rub of choice

16 basil leaves

1/3 lb. mozzarella, thinly sliced

6 thin slices prosciutto

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Cut each chicken breast half horizontally almost al the way through and open it like a book.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and spice rub.  Layer the basil and mozzarella evenly on half of each breast and then fold it closed.  Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each breast to hold it closed.  Brush slightly on both sides with olive oil.

Preheat a gas grill and grill chicken breasts, covered, until well marked, about 4 minutes.  Flip and cook, turning every few minutes, until the chicken is just firm.  Or, preheat a cookie sheet in a 400F oven and preheat a sauté pan and sear the breasts on both sides.  Transfer chicken breasts to the cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 3 – 4 minutes per side.  Let cool for a couple minutes.  Slice and serve.

MAKES:  6 servings

Prosciutto wrapped asparagus and arugula salad

1 lb. thin asparagus

2 Tbsp. olive oil plus more for brushing

salt and freshly ground pepper

½C panko crumbs

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp. Italian parsley

2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

12 thin slices prosciutto

3C baby arugula

1/2C shaved Parmesan

½ C whole toasted almonds, coarsely chopped

Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. sherry wine vinegar

2 tsp. honey mustard

5 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Shake the vinaigrette ingredients together in a jar.  Brush the asparagus with olive oil and grill or roast in the oven until almost tender.  Let cool.  In a sauté pan heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, add the panko and garlic and cook, stirring, until crumbs are golden and crisp.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then stir in the Parmesan, parsley and lemon zest.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the asparagus into 6 even piles.  On a work surface, arrange the prosciutto slices in 6 pairs, overlapping slightly.  Set an asparagus pile on each prosciutto pair and roll up.  Grill the bundles on moderately  high heat, turning, until the asparagus are tender and prosciutto is crisp.  Toss the arugula with vinaigrette to coat and add the Parmesan

Prosciutto wrapped asparagus and almonds.  Divide the arugula mixture among six plates and place the asparagus bundles on top of each.  Sprinkle each with some of the panko mixture.

MAKES:  6 servings

Fresh fig Pizzas

2 Trader Joe’s pizza dough rounds, cut in half

one jar fig jam

1 lb. fresh figs, thinly sliced

8 slices prosciutto

½ lb. crumbled blue cheese

Form pizza dough rounds into small tight balls, using flour as necessary to keep them from sticking and place on a cutting board dusted with flour.  Cover with a towel and let rest at room temperature for one hour.

Preheat two pizza stones or cookie sheets in a 500F oven for 30 minutes.  Roll pizza dough into thin 8-inch rounds, using flour as necessary to keep the dough from sticking.  Place rounds on hot cookie sheets and bake 3 – 4 minutes on each side to crisp.  Remove from the oven and roll out thinner with a rolling pin while hot.  Return to the oven for 3 – 4 minutes to crisp up.  Just before serving, spread each with half of the fig jam, top each with two prosciutto slices, arrange fresh fig slices on top and sprinkle with blue cheese. 

Reduce heat to 450F.  Return rounds to the hot cookie sheets and bake 5 – 6 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and the figs are caramelized.  Cut each round into 8 slices and serve.

MAKES:  8 servings

Baby Arugula option

2C baby arugula

3 – 4 minutes before the pizzas are done sprinkle each with 1/2C baby arugula and return to the oven to lightly heat the arugula.  Sprinkle with some freshly ground pepper, cut in slices and serve.