2 Dinners: Potato Gratin and Turkey Cutlets 2 Ways

One of these dinners was a fun collaboration between Dan and me and the other solely handled by Chez Dan. Try to guess which one!

Dinner 1: Turkey Cutlets and Potato Gratin with Olives

This meal was half healthy, half indulgent. The turkey cutlets were on the light side--sauteed in olive oil, garlic and onion. Some of the edges got a little well done but that's OK because they had extra flavor. The potato gratin on the other hand was the sinful indulgence. A sturdy dish, it resembled the great wall of potatoes--olives, chicken stock and silky cream served as the mortar for this structure. To say that we were full after this meal was putting it lightly. Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm.

Turkey Cutlets

Ingredients: (serves 2)

4 medium-large turkey cutlets

Olive oil (2-3 turns around the pan)

1/2 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 eggs, whisked

1 cup of flour

1 cup of Italian breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Season the turkey cutlets with salt and pepper. Then coat the cutlets--first in flour, then egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Shake off excess breadcrumbs in a bowl.

Heat olive oil in a sautee pan. Add the garlic and onions and cook until golden brown. Make sure to watch the garlic carefully--it can burn rather quickly. Then sautee the prepared turkey cutlets in the oil for 3-4 minutes per side. Place cooked cutlets on a platter and blot excess oil with paper towels.

Potato Gratin

I got this recipe from the March issue of Bon Appetit and it served me well. I wasn't too crazy about the capers that it called for so I substituted with olives, which still gave it a salty bite. Other than that, I followed the recipe, which was easy to understand but required meticulous work and special attention--slicing those potatoes paper-thin took concentration! Check it out here.

Dinner 2: Turkey Cutlet and Salami Tortellini

Ingredients: (serves 2)

1 package of fresh tortellini pasta--with filling of your choice

1/2 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Turkey cutlets, cubed (see above recipe)

4-5 slices of Genoa salami, cut into quarters or eighths

1/4 cup of shredded smoked mozzarella cheese

Olive oil (2 turns around the pan)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Boil pasta until it's al dente. Then heat oil in sautee pan and add garlic and onions. Like mentioned in the last recipe, make sure to watch that garlic so it doesn't burn. Then add the rest of the ingredients except the cheese. Set aside from heat when all ingredients get nice and brown and acquire crispy, golden edges (about 6-8 minutes). Sprinkle shredded smoked mozzarella on top and enjoy your hearty decadence, courtesy of Chez Dan (yes, you guessed it...pasta is his speciality).