Please enjoy the recipe photo shoot that resulted in a cold, stressful, enjoyable meal. I’ve included a few photos taken in Rome. We rented an apartment in the Ancient quarter of Rome where I shopped for fresh produce daily and recreated a Cooking Light recipe with the ingredients that I found at the neighborhood market and the farmers market at Campo de Fiori.

Believe me photographing food is not for sissies. The glass of vino was definitely a reward. The lighting in my kitchen isn’t good enough to take photos in natural light so I set the camera on a tripod in the dining room. This necessitates running back and forth from the kitchen to the dining room. And no it wasn’t a long way but try cooking a meal tonight, while you prep the food in your kitchen, then take it into the dining room to be photographed. (The thought of anyone moving raw chicken from room to room probably has my salmonella obsessed sister shuttering about now.) Apparently you are never to photograph food with a flash but I did it anyway ‘cuz, I’m a rebel like that. Anyway, the photos are fair and the meal was lukewarm but my man and I gladly ate it after the aerobic photo sprints. Cheers. Savor every bite.

Roma Lemon Saltimbocca di Pollo
Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine with embellishments and
inspiration from Rome

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless organic 1/2 chicken breasts (about 4 ounces each)
If the breast are thicker than 1 inch then filet them in half through the flat center.
1 teaspoon black pepper
8 thin slices prosciutto
8 sage leaves, more for garnish
3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 lemons divided
Lemon juice from 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon of capers
Lemon wedges
Makes 8 servings.
1 serving 7 WW points plus, 334 kcal
Fat 18 gm
Carb 3 gm
Protein 30

Instructions
Prepare the chicken and cut into thinner pieces if needed. Pepper the chicken but skip the salt. Prosciutto is salty enough. Place 2 large fresh sage leaves over each breast and wrap with 1 slice prosciutto. Dredge each breast in wheat flour. Heat olive oil and 1/2 the butter in a skillet until hot (not smoking). Cook chicken and ½ thinly sliced lemon for 7 minutes on each side over medium heat until juices run clear. Squeeze 1 lemon over the chicken pieces and the pan. Remove the chicken to a plate. Add wine and de-glaze the pan, scraping the brown bits. Add 1/2 cup broth and simmer 3-4 minutes until slightly thickened. Add remaining butter and capers. Drizzle chicken with the sauce, fresh lemon slices a sprig of fresh sage or basil.

Notes:
Traditional chicken saltimbocca uses scallopini (pounded flat) chicken breast. Who has time for that? Seriously? You can skip the lemon and capers but why would you do that? You could substitute veal but please don’t.

Serving ideas: Serve over wilted fresh spinach, faux zucchini noodles or asparagus. No need for heavy pasta with this hearty dish. Garnish with lemon slices. Enjoy with a 5 oz glass of white wine.

Complete meal as shown including a glass of wine, total 611 kcal or 12 WW points

Faux Zucchini Pasta Pomodoro
Sauté 1 cup of cherry tomatoes in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil with 1 clove of chopped garlic. When tomatoes burst add 2 cups of faux zucchini noodles and a hand full of fresh basil leaves. Cook until crisp tender. 127 kcal, 9 gm carb, 9 gm fat.

Wine suggestion:
A crisp Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.

Savor every bite

The roof top apartment overlooking Vatican City where this recipe was born.