Turkey Cutlets Marsala

Elizabeth David was a scholarly British cookbook author who had a major impact on her country’s notoriously bland cooking, post World War II. After attending the Sorbonne in Paris she didn’t retain much of the course work but “What had stuck was the taste for a kind of food quite ideally unlike anything I had known before.”

This simple preparation for turkey was in an article she wrote called “A Small Scale Thanksgiving”. It comes together in 15 minutes, and the wafting fragrance of browning butter and Marsala wine will bring people into the kitchen wanting to know when dinner is going to be ready. I used a bit less butter and found the two large servings enough for three. I love how she advises you to season the cutlets “aggressively” with salt and pepper !

4 turkey cutlets, approximately 1 1/4 pounds

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Flour for dusting

4 Tbs. unsalted butter

1/4 cup Marsala wine

1/4 cup chicken stock, homemade or low sodium

Place the cutlets on a wooden board, and season them aggressively with salt and pepper, then lightly dust them with flour.

Melt the butter in a large saute or frying pan set over medium-high heat, and when it begins to foam, add the turkey cutlets to the pan. Turn down to medium, and cook, gently, for 3 minutes a side, being careful not to allow the butter to blacken.

When the second side is just about done, pour the Marsala over the cutlets, and allow it to bubble and combine with the butter. Now do the same with a splash or two of the chicken stock. Cook in the pan for 2 or 3 minutes more.

Note: My cutlets were much smaller; 8 instead of 4. I pressed each two together and proceeded with the recipe. Another time I used turkey tenderloins and sliced them in half horizontally to make thin cutlets. I have served this twice with the Charlie Bird Farro Salad in a preceding recipe as they complement each other perfectly!