Recently, the BF got me hooked on a new cooking show the likes of which I had never seen before.
Let me restate that, just to let it sink in properly. The BF. got ME. Hooked on a cooking show. What kind of cooking show could that possibly be, to draw my very own BF in so much he looked up the episodes on Youtube because he couldn't wait for the next day's episode? Why, Junior Masterchef Australia of course! 12 contestants, aged 9-12, in the most positive-spirited, up-beat, cheerful cooking competition ever to have hit the international networks! I loved watching it, and last Tuesday, the finale was aired (finally!) and one of my favourite contestants won. And I say this, knowing in the back of my head that I really, really loved all of those kids and would have wanted all of them to win. Because watching them cook... Was a delight!
And it made me jealous. So, very, very jealous. There were kids not older than 9 that knew things about cooking that I couldn't even dare dream of. I wanted to try all those recipes, taste their food, make it myself... It made me crave all sorts of new kitchen appliances and accessories so I could give all that cooking a go.. I'm beginning to think I should start a wishlist for all the cool kitchen things I want to have. (First on the list: more cabinet space. Also, tarte tatin tins. Because, well, try to say 'tarte tatin tin' thrice in a row! Awesome! Plus: candy thermometer. Can you say caramels? Ooohh... )
I figured I had to start off with something not as daunting as some of those things those kids made. So for tonight, I made a chicken involtini with tomato sauce and tagliatelle for dinner. Does that sound fancy, or what!? Get your twine out, you can be making this too! I adapted the following recipe a bit, by using mozarella instead of provolone, because I'm a mozarella kinda gal. Also, because my local grocery shop doesn't have provolone. Or any other kind of crazy dairy product. Like condensed milk. Seriously, how is a girl to cook ridiculous things like sea-salt caramels without condensed milk? I'm looking at you, grocery shop chain owner!
Chicken involtini (source)
For 2:
2 chicken breasts
prosciutto
thinly sliced mozarella
whole fresh basil leaves
salt
pepper
garlic powder
olive oil
Roll out a large piece of plastic wrap and put a chicken breast on one side, and fold the other side over the top, keeping about 1 inch of room free for the chicken to expand when you're pounding it out. With a kitchen mallet, small pan, or a rolling pin (if you're like me), pound out the chicken breast until it is 1/4 inch thick. Make sure it really is on the thin side, because you'll need to be able to roll it up later. (don't forget the other chicken breast!)
Season the chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Then place some slices of prosciutto on top, followed by a layer of thinly sliced mozarella and the whole basil leaves. Roll up the chicken breasts, starting at a smaller end, and tie the rolls up with kitchen twine.
Grab your grill pan, or if you have one, pop these babies onto the grill! (make sure you heat it first, though.) Grill the chicken until golden on all sides.
Remove the twine before serving. I had these with a simple tomato sauce and tagliatelle. Hmmm...
