Classic Chicken Parmesan with Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce and Smoked Mozzarella

Ingredients

* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5 to 6 ounces each)
* 2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning pasta
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 recipe Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or your favorite red pasta sauce
* 1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, sliced
* 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
* 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 pound linguine, cooked al dente and kept warm
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil leaves

Directions

Position rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Season each chicken breast with 1/2 teaspoon of the Essence and 1/8 teaspoon salt.

Place the flour into a small bowl. Place the egg and milk into a second small bowl. Place the bread crumbs into a third small bowl. Dip each chicken breast into the flour, then the beaten egg mixture, and finally into the bread crumbs, shaking to rid of excess between each step. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining breasts. When all of the breasts are breaded, heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken, smooth side down, into the skillet and cook for 4 minutes. Turn the chicken breasts to the other side, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for 2 minutes longer. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Spoon 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over each breast and divide the mozzarella slices evenly among the chicken pieces. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the chicken is just cooked through and the cheese melts, about 4 minutes. Adjust the oven setting to broil and continue to cook until the cheese bubbles and is lightly golden, about 1 to 2 minutes longer.

While the chicken is baking, reheat the pasta sauce if necessary. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the pasta and toss until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add enough of the pasta sauce to just coat the pasta and divide between 4 large serving plates.

When the chicken is ready, top each plate of pasta with a little more sauce and top each serving with a chicken breast. Garnish with the fresh basil and serve immediately.

Note: Regular smoked mozzarella works better in this recipe than fresh smoked mozzarella.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch

Published by William Morrow, 1993.

Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce:

3 pounds Romanita tomatoes, cored*

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

12 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large, 14-inch, oven proof frying pan, combine all the ingredients. Stir to blend then transfer to the oven and cook until the tomatoes begin to caramelize, about 30 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and stir well. Return to the oven and continue to cook until further caramelized and much of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, cool slightly, and transfer to a blender, in batches if necessary, and process sauce until coarsely pureed. If the sauce seems too thick, thin with a bit of water or chicken broth. Use immediately or cool completely and refrigerate for up to 4 days in a non-reactive, airtight container.

The sauce is great on pasta as well as pizza and even makes a great dipping sauce for hors d'oeuvres. If you prefer a less rustic sauce, puree completely as described above and strain.

Yield: about 4 cups sauce

* If Romanita tomatoes are unavailable, use a combination of Roma and grape tomatoes to approximate the sweetness of Romanitas, or use another type of sweet tomato, such as Amorosa.

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Veal Marsala Italiano Recipe

Ingredients
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* 8 veal cutlets (about 3 ounces each)
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 large shallot, finely chopped
* 2 to 4 garlic cloves, smashed
* 2 ounces assorted mushrooms, sliced
* 1/2 cup sweet Marsala
* 3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
* Leaves from 1 fresh rosemary sprig


Directions

Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 veal cutlets and cook until golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer the veal to a plate. Add another tablespoon of butter and oil, if necessary. Repeat with the remaining 4 cutlets. Set the cutlets aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add a tablespoon of the olive oil, if necessary. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender and the juices evaporate, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. Add the Marsala. Simmer until the Marsala reduces by half, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and the rosemary leaves. Simmer until reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Return the veal to the skillet. Pour in all of the pan juices. Cook just until heated through, turning to coat, about 1 minute. Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.

Using tongs, transfer the veal to plates. Spoon the sauce over the veal and serve.

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Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
* 2 (8-ounce) pieces of homemade or purchased pizza dough, recipe follows
* 6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 1/3 cups, grated pasteurized mozzarella
* 2 Roma tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
* 1 large garlic clove, minced, optional
* 6 fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
* 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Mix the warm water and yeast in a small bowl to blend. Let stand until the yeast dissolves, about 5 minutes. Mix the flour and salt in a food processor to blend. Blend in the oil. With the machine running, add the yeast mixture and blend just until the dough forms. Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and turn the dough to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm draft-free area until the dough doubles in volume, about 1 hour. Punch the down dough and divide into 2 equal balls. (The dough can be used immediately or stored airtight in the refrigerator for 1 day.)

Position 1 oven rack in the center and the second rack on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle the cornmeal over 2 rimless baking sheets. Roll out each piece of pizza dough into a 10 to 11-inch-diameter round. Transfer 1 dough to each prepared baking sheet.

Drizzle 2 teaspoons of oil over each pizza dough. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the pizza dough, dividing equaling and leaving a 1-inch border around each pizza. Arrange the tomato slices in a single layer over the cheese. Sprinkle with the Parmesan. Arrange basil leaves on top, drizzle with a little more olive oil and sprinkle garlic all over. Bake the pizzas until the crusts are crisp and brown on the bottom and the cheese is melted on top, about 15 minutes. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of oil over each pizza. Sprinkle with basil for garnish and salt. Cut the pizza into wedges and serve immediately.

Pizza Dough:

* 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)
* 2 teaspoons dry yeast
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons olive oil

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