Robert L. Gorman
Personal Chef  ·  Fairfield County, CT
www.RobertLGorman.com
Robert@RobertLGorman.com
602-370-5255

Personal Chef Robert L. Gorman  ·  Greenwich, CT

Veal Saltimbocca

A Roman classic — prosciutto, sage, and golden veal — brought to your Greenwich table with the precision of a private dining chef.

The Story Behind the Dish

A History of Saltimbocca

Few dishes carry the drama of their name as convincingly as Veal Saltimbocca. Translated literally from Italian, saltimbocca means "jumps in the mouth" — and for anyone who has tasted it, the claim is entirely warranted. This iconic preparation has roots deep in Roman culinary tradition, widely celebrated in the trattorias of the Eternal City since at least the 19th century.

Food historians trace the dish to Brescia in Lombardy, where variations of veal layered with prosciutto appear in written recipes as early as the 1800s. Yet it was Rome that fully claimed saltimbocca as its own, elevating it to the status of civic culinary heritage. The great Italian cookbook author Ada Boni catalogued it in her seminal 1927 work Il Talismano della Felicità, cementing its place in the Italian canon.

The dish's genius is architectural: thin veal scallopini — pounded to near-translucent tenderness — are layered with a whisper of aged prosciutto di Parma and a single leaf of pungent, floral fresh sage, then secured with a toothpick and sautéed in a bright reduction of dry white wine and sweet unsalted butter. The prosciutto crisps and clings, the sage perfumes the fat, and the veal finishes silky and yielding. The result is a dish of remarkable sophistication achieved in under fifteen minutes.

"When I present Veal Saltimbocca at a private dinner table in Greenwich, I'm carrying four centuries of Roman kitchens into that room. Every element must be correct — the weight of the scallopini, the quality of the prosciutto, the moment the wine hits the pan." — Robert L. Gorman, Personal Chef

As a personal chef serving Greenwich, Westport, Wilton, and the broader Fairfield County area, I've featured Saltimbocca at intimate dinner parties for four, fundraising galas for forty, and holiday celebrations from Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve to Easter Sunday and New Year's Eve dinner parties. It is a dish that scales beautifully in elegance — never looking or tasting anything less than extraordinary.

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Perfect For Every Occasion

Holiday & Entertaining Occasions

Veal Saltimbocca is among the most versatile centerpiece dishes in fine Italian cuisine. As your personal chef in Greenwich, CT, I bring this Roman classic to the following celebrations:

Christmas Eve Dinner New Year's Eve Easter Sunday Valentine's Day Mother's Day Father's Day Thanksgiving Anniversary Dinners Rehearsal Dinners Corporate Entertaining Birthday Celebrations Passover Seder
Sourcing Excellence Locally

Greenwich & Fairfield County Purveyors

The quality of Saltimbocca begins at the source. As a personal chef deeply embedded in the Greenwich and Fairfield County food community, I work with an exclusive network of local farms, artisan purveyors, and weekend farmers markets to secure the finest ingredients available.

Saugatuck Provisions Butchery

Westport's premier artisan butcher — my primary source for premium veal scallopini, sourced from humanely raised calves.

Pat LaFrieda Meats

Iconic New York butcher supplying restaurant-grade veal cuts to Fairfield County's most discerning private chefs.

Gilbertie's Herb Farm

Westport's legendary herb grower — providing living sage plants and fresh-cut herbs with extraordinary fragrance and flavor intensity.

Jones Family Farms

Shelton, CT — a Fairfield County institution offering seasonal produce and farm-fresh eggs for composed garnishes and sides.

Sankow's Beaver Brook Farm

Lyme, CT — artisan dairy and charcuterie, including house-cured prosciutto-style products and farmstead cheeses.

Greenwich Farmers Market

Seasonal market at Arch Street offering local produce, microgreens, and artisan pantry staples — open May through November.

Grocery Shopping List

Market List for 4 Portions

Meat & Charcuterie

  • Veal scallopini — 1½ lbs (8 thin slices)
  • Prosciutto di Parma — 8 thin slices

Produce & Herbs

  • Fresh sage — 1 large bunch (16+ leaves)
  • Shallots — 2 medium
  • Garlic — 1 head
  • Lemon — 2 (zest + wedges)
  • Fresh flat-leaf parsley — 1 small bunch
  • Microgreens (optional garnish)

Dairy

  • Unsalted European butter — 6 tbsp

Pantry & Dry Goods

  • All-purpose flour — ½ cup (for dredging)
  • Toothpicks / wooden skewers
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper — whole, freshly ground
  • Extra virgin olive oil — 3 tbsp

Wine & Liquids

  • Dry white wine — ¾ cup (Pinot Grigio or Soave)
  • Chicken or veal stock — ½ cup (high quality)

Optional Accompaniments

  • Capers — 2 tbsp (for pan sauce variation)
  • Baby spinach or arugula — for plating
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano — shaved, for garnish
Preparation Blueprint

Mise en Place

A clean mise en place is the signature of a trained chef. Before a single burner is lit, every component is weighed, cleaned, and positioned at station. This is how a dish that takes four minutes to cook can be executed flawlessly for twelve guests simultaneously.

1
Pound the veal — Place scallopini between plastic wrap; pound evenly to ¼ inch with a meat mallet. Pat dry with paper towels.
2
Set up the assembly station — Line sliced prosciutto and rinsed, dried sage leaves on a tray beside the veal.
3
Layer and secure — Top each scallopino with one prosciutto slice and two sage leaves. Pierce with a toothpick to hold.
4
Season the flour — Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge only the veal side lightly; shake off excess.
5
Mince the shallots — Finely mince 2 shallots; place in a small ramekin at the stove. Measure butter and have it cold, cut into cubes.
6
Measure liquids — Pre-measure wine and stock into separate vessels. Zest and juice one lemon into small bowls.
7
Warm the plates — Place serving plates in a 200°F oven. A cold plate kills a perfectly cooked Saltimbocca in seconds.
8
Final station check — Pan (large stainless or carbon steel skillet), olive oil in a ramekin, all components within arm's reach.
The Recipe

Veal Saltimbocca alla Romana

Yield: 4 portions  |  Prep: 25 minutes  |  Cook: 12–15 minutes

  1. Heat the pan. Over medium-high heat, warm a large stainless skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil until shimmering. Do not use nonstick — you need the fond for the sauce.
  2. Sear prosciutto side first. Place assembled scallopini prosciutto-side down. Cook 2 minutes until prosciutto is crisp and golden. Do not move the meat.
  3. Flip and finish. Flip to the veal side. Add 1 tbsp butter to the pan. Cook 1½–2 minutes until veal is just opaque and cooked through. Remove to a warm plate; tent loosely with foil. Remove toothpicks.
  4. Build the pan sauce. In the same pan over medium heat, add shallots and cook 60 seconds until translucent. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up all fond. Reduce by half — approximately 2 minutes.
  5. Add stock and reduce. Pour in veal or chicken stock. Simmer until the sauce coats a spoon, about 2–3 minutes. Squeeze in ½ lemon's juice.
  6. Mount with butter. Remove pan from heat. Swirl in 3 tbsp cold cubed butter — one cube at a time — until sauce is glossy, velvety, and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
  7. Plate with intention. Place 2 scallopini on each warm plate, prosciutto-side up. Spoon sauce over and around. Garnish with a fresh sage leaf, lemon zest, and microgreens or a few arugula leaves. Serve immediately.

Bring This to Your Table

As Greenwich's personal chef for private dining, holiday entertaining, and weekly meal preparation, I handle every detail — sourcing, cooking, and service — so you never have to.

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