Saltimbocca

In the supermarket there were some organic chicken thigh fillets with those enticing yellow labels on them, four for £1.49p. I picked up a ball of mozzarella, and remembered some bacon at home that needed eating, and that the sage had survived the winter nicely. I unrolled the thighs, and put a piece of the mozzarella inside, and a couple of sage leaves. Then I bound the little parcel up with smoked streaky bacon and pinioned it together with a toothpick.

Heating a little olive oil in a non-stick pan, I put the bundles in and browned them on all sides. Then I poured over a little red wine, to which I added a splash of maple syrup, and left the whole thing to cook down over a moderate heat. Served it with mashed potato, and frozen broad beans, just cooked and dressed with a little olive oil and toasted poppy seeds. Marsala is more usual, as is veal and prosciutto, but I had none of those things. I don't even think mozzarella is correct. But it was a delicious dinner for four hungry people.