Sautéed Turkey Cutlets with Tuna and Caper Mayonnaise

"Many people have heard of the classic dish Veal Tonatto. Well this is an updated version made with the breast of a turkey that is sliced, lightly breaded and then sautéed in olive oil. The tonatto, or tuna mayonnaise, may seem a bit strange but rest assured that it is delicious. If you have any left overs this makes an excellent turkey sandwich with tonatto and perhaps some arugula. I think that this would be a perfect addition to a summer buffet ", Joe Simone

Serves 4 to 6

1 pound (45 g) boneless, skinless turkey breast, uncooked
2 eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

The Tonatto

1 (5 ounce) (150 g) can tuna, packed in oil, preferably Italian
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed well
1/2 cup mayonnaise
Kosher or sea salt to taste

Method

Cut the turkey breast against the grain into 6 pieces of about the same size. Line a smooth working surface with plastic wrap and arrange the turkey cutlets over the plastic. Cover the turkey with another sheet of plastic wrap and then gently pound the turkey until they are uniformly thin, about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. If you have a nice butcher, ask him to do this for you! Season lightly with salt and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix the cheese, breadcrumbs and parsley until well combined. Place next to a bowl with the flour, another bowl with the egg mixture and then finally the breadcrumb mixture. Bread the cutlets by dipping them first in the flour, then egg mixture and finally the breadcrumb mixture. Set them on a clean platter or baking sheet in one layer.

Heat 1/2 cup of the olive oil in a large skillet until very hot. Fry the cutlets without overlapping until crispy and golden brown. You will probably have to fry in batches, depending on the size of your skillet. As soon as the cutlets turn golden brown, transfer them to a double thickness of paper towels. Keep warm while you prepare the tuna mayonnaise.

Drain the tuna of its excess oil and transfer to a food processor or blender. Pulse several times to break down the tura. Add the lemon juice and capers and process for 20 seconds. Add the mayonnaise and with the machine running, drizzle in the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Taste the mayonnaise and correct the seasonings with salt and additional lemon juice if needed.

To serve, arrange the warm cutlets on a platter and top with the tonatto.

Ingredients Tip

Do search out the Italian style tuna packed in oil. It is much better for this recipe. But if you cannot find any you could substitute the water packed variety, drained well and then add a bit more olive oil to compensate for the dryness of the water packed tuna.