Veal escalopes stuffed with Parma ham

Veal escalopes stuffed with Parma ham

This classic Italian dish gets a different twist if you use basil leaves instead of sage leaves and add some good tomato sauce to the white wine sauce. Whole wheat pasta with parmesan and steamed green beans go well with the veal.

2 servings

2 thin veal escalopes, about 120- 150 g each

2 slices of Parma ham

4 basil leaves

2 tbsp. olive oil

Some wheat flour for dusting

150 ml white wine

2 tbsp. tomato sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

Place the escalopes between two sheets of aluminium foil and pound with your fist to make them thinner. Grind over some black pepper and place a slice of Parma ham on each escalope, followed by basil leaves. Fold over the escalopes to make a pocket and secure with a cocktail stick. Lightly dust both sides of the escalopes with flour.

Warm 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium- high heat in a frying pan. Cook the escalopes 2- 3 minutes on both sides until golden brown. Add the wine, tomato sauce, and some more black pepper. Increase the heat to high and let bubble until reduced by about half.

Drain the cooked pasta, divide on the plates and fold in some parmesan. Divide the escalopes surrounded with the sauce and steamed green beans on the plates.

Esterel: Pic de l'Ours hike

Beachfront near Trayas station

The Esterel Coastal Massif located both in Var and Alpes Maritimes Departments is of volcanic origin. The rock consists mostly of rhyolite, giving the hills a distinct red colour.

Numerous roads, some of them paved, crisscross the region. But there is a network of hiking and mountain biking trails as well, and some of them cross surprisingly rugged and sauvage terrain. The landscape is quite different from what you see elsewhere in Alpes-Maritimes. 

We decided to hike up to Pic de l’Ours (496 m), starting from the parking by the D559 coastal road, near the Trayas train station. Another option is to use the small parking next to the station.

Trail behind Trayas station

Rocky trail above Le Trayas

Le Trayas coast

Pic de l'Ours

Cannes seen from Pic de l'Ours

Dent de l'Ours

Pic du Cap Roux

Path under Pic de l'Ours summit

Spinach with pine nuts and golden raisins

Spinach is a popular vegetable in all Mediterranean countries. I remember a trip to Rome one autumn when almost all small restaurants served only boiled spinach as a vegetable side.

Spinach is said to have originated somewhere in Persia, and was brought into the Mediterranean countries by the Arabs. The following recipe with pine nuts and golden raisins suggests an Arab origin. This vegetable side goes very well with roasted mackerel fillets and panisses, South of France chick pea cakes.

2 servings

About 4 handfuls of baby salad leaves

2 tbsp. golden raisins

2 tbsp. pine nuts

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Freshly ground black pepper

Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium- low heat and start sautéing the golden raisins and pine nuts. Add the shallots and garlic and continue sautéing for 10 minutes until soft.

Wash and dry the spinach leaves and add to the saucepan. Raise the heat to medium and sauté for about 5- 10 minutes until the spinach is wilted.

Serve with roasted mackerel fillets and panisses. 

Vence: Loop from Plan des Noves parking

Today’s hike features a loop above Vence, starting from the popular Plan des Noves parking (780 m) by the D2 road. Having hiked here many times, we now wanted to try a new itinerary, first using tracks and trails west of the D2 road.

Track leaving GR51

Mouton d'Anou

Oratory

Puy de Naouri and Tourrettes

Baou des Blancs and Vence

Crossroads near Colle Bertrand

Mangia Pan

Loop from Plan des Noves parking