Cod Wrapped in Sorrano Ham
Ingredients:

• 4 five to six oz. pieces of fresh cod (1 inch thick)
• Coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 very thin slices of sorrano ham
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Procedure:

1. Season cod filets with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Wrap each filet with one piece of sorrano ham.
3. Add the olive oil to a large Teflon pan and heat over medium heat.
4. Place filets seam side down in the pan to seal the ham.
5. Sear filets for 3-4 minutes on each side, until ham is golden and crispy.
6. Transfer pan to a 350º oven and cook for 3-4 minutes longer until fish is opaque and firm to the touch.

Sauteed Spinach
Ingredients:

• 1 pound spinach
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 small cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:

1. Wash the spinach and shake off the excess water.
2. Warm the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the garlic.
3. When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the spinach to the pan and cook, stirring continuously, until it softens and steams.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Once it is completely cooked down, about 1 minute, transfer to a cookie sheet and allow to cool.

Lemon& Caper Butter Sauce
Ingredients:

• ¼ cup Sauvignon Blanc or other dry white wine
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (or to taste)
• 4 scallions, white part only, finely sliced on the bias
• 1 Tbsp capers, drained & rinsed
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:

1. Reduce wine by half (to 2 Tablespoons).
2. Whisk in butter cubes until evenly mixed.
3. Finish with lemon, scallions, capers, and parsley. Salt & pepper to taste.

Click here to print this recipe!

---

About the Chef:
Chef Tom Valenti is one of the most revered chefs in New York City is the owner of Ouest Restaurant. A native of Ithaca, New York, Valenti began his life in the kitchen while still a high school student when he joined the staff of L'Auberge Du Cochon Rouge, a French restaurant in his hometown where he apprenticed to chef Etienne Merle. After graduating from high school, he served as a chef at a private estate in Westchester before beginning his long association with restaurateur Guy Savoy, first as a pastry chef for a Savoy-owned restaurant in Westchester, and then as chef tournant for Savoy's Paris restaurant.

Tom Valenti's cuisine broke through the New York clutter when he became the first executive chef at Alison on Dominick, the West SoHo bistro where he was catapulted to stardom. In 1989, Esquire magazine dubbed this romantic rendezvous the "Best New Restaurant" in New York City, while Food and Wine magazine lauded Valenti as one of the country's "Ten Best New Chefs" in 1990. At Alison, Valenti's vast experience culminated in the creation of the bold, Southern France-influenced cuisine that has become his trademark.

Valentine’s books include Tom Valenti's Soups, Stews, and One-Pot Meals: 125 Home Recipes from the Chef-Owner of New York City's Ouest and 'Cesca and Welcome to My Kitchen: A New York Chef Shares His Robust Recipes and Secret Techniques.

---

More recipes from Chef Tom Valenti:

• Tom Valenti's Goat Cheese & Basil Stuffed Shrimp
• Tom Valenti's Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin