Scaloppine in Parchment with Asparagus and Fontina Cheese

When I get a burr in my saddle I just keep going.
"Don't tell me I can't buy any asparagus or you have no more King Salmon!"
I just went to another Shop-Rite owned by a different family and bought a great fresh king salmon steak and a handful of pencil-thin asparagus.

"Told YOU, so THERE, take THAT!!"

I am planning on making these on Saturday and it won't work with anything but King Salmon steaks.
The asparagus was for dinner tonight. While skimming through Marcella's Essential's of Classic Italian Cooking, I found this simple baked dish and for some reason I took a fancy to it.
It was easy, could be prepared earlier in the day and I knew I would need such a dish while planning our Memorial Grill Party.

While this dish called for scaloppine topped with asparagus and melted fontina, I thought mushrooms would go well with the Marsala and an herb angel hair pasta for The Nudge.

This is a great 'Honey I'm bringing my boss home for dinner' dish. No asparagus, use green beans. No fontina, any melting cheese would work well. No Marsala, use a sherry (a sweet one even better).

Two things to remember, if you can get pencil-thin spears of asparagus there is no blanching required, thus making this an even easier dish to prepare.  The only work involved is to saute the scaloppine in a mix of butter and olive oil. Deglaze the pan with Marsala wine, add the mushrooms (optional) and pour the whole mixture over the meat and asparagus. Top with slices of fontina, cover tightly and bake for 20 minutes.

Oh, and did I mention there is no baking dish to scrub? Now I have your attention?
You line the pan with parchment or foil and it gently steams in the oven, making a sauce.
The Nudge liked it and I was told "You could make this one again, I liked it".
Shop-Rite, take a lesson....that's the way you smooth a burr.

Scaloppine in Parchment with Asparagus and Fontina Cheese
makes four servings

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

* 1/2 pound fresh asparagus (nuke thick ones for 1 minute)
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 pound scaloppine, veal or this sliced chicken breast
* 1/4 cup AP flour
* 6 ounces fontina cheese
* 1/3 cup Marsala wine
* Salt & pepper

A baking dish (approx. 9x12)
Cooking parchment, heavy-duty foil or a parchment lined foil

Preheat the oven to 400­° and line the baking pan.

1. Trim the asparagus to the size of the meat. If thick, peel below the head.
2. Put the butter and the oil in a sauté pan, and turn on the heat to high.
3. Season the cutlets with salt & pepper and dredge in flour, patting off any excess.
When the butter foam starts to subside, slip as many pieces of meat as will fit flat in the pan.
Brown evenly on both sides and remove meat to lined baking pan. Repeat with the rest of the meat.
4. Add the wine to the pan, shut off the heat and stir to deglaze.
5. Place the asparagus over the scaloppine, top with the mushrooms (optional), a slice of cheese and cover tightly.
6. Bake for 15 minutes in the upper half of the oven.
7. Remove to a warmed platter.