Marsala Sauce

 

There are 2 popularly known kinds of Marsala sauce – the chicken and the veal. Both of which are classic Italian and American recipes. The key ingredient for the two is the Marsala wine. In order to make a good Marsala sauce it is very important to also have an excellent wine.

Marsala wine originated in Marsala City in Sicily where it got its name from. There are various kinds of Marsala wine – the two known common types are the sweet and dry. There are other types too which are between the sweet and dry but in order for you to acquire those you must have an outstanding wine merchant or dealer. The wine is best when it has been aged; usually they range from 1 to 10 years. The more aged the wine, the smokier and richer it becomes.

The common ingredient between the two kinds of Marsala sauce is the Marsala wine. The other ingredients used in creating these dishes vary. Additional ingredients can also be added to enhance the flavor and texture of the dish.

An example for each kind of Marsala sauce is shown here:

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

¼ cup all-purpose flour (for coating)
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons butter
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (pounded ¼ inch thick)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup cooking sherry
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup Marsala wine

Directions

1. Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, and oregano in a shallow dish or bowl.
2. Coat the pieces of chicken in a flour mixture.
3. Using a large skillet and over medium heat, melt the butter in olive oil.
4. Place the chicken in the pan until it turns to light brown.
5. Turn over the other side the chicken pieces and at the same time add the mushrooms.
6. Add and pour in wine and sherry.
7. Cover the skillet and let simmer the chicken pieces for 10 minutes.
8. Turn chicken only once until the meat is no longer pink and the juices become clear.

Veal Marsala

Ingredients

1 pound veal cutlets (6 pcs)
Flour (as needed)
Salt and paper to taste
3 ounce butter (6 tablespoons)
1 cup sliced mushroom (cremini, white button, or portobello)
4 ounce Marsala
Chopped fresh parsley to taste
4 ounce beef or veal steak

Directions

1. With salt and pepper, season the veal and then lightly dredge in the flour.
2. In a large skillet, sauté the cutlets in the butter until each side is lightly browned.
3. Take the veal and cover with foil to keep it heated or you can place it inside a 200 degree oven.
4. Sauté the mushrooms. If needed add more oil and or butter.
5. Deglaze with both the Marsala and stock. Scrape off any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Cook until fluid is reduced by half.
6. Put the veal back into the pan to heat and pour over the sauce.
7. Finish off with some chopped parsley and salt and pepper.

 

There are various kinds of Marsala sauce depending on what dish you are preparing. It can either be chicken or veal – the 2 most popular kinds of Marsala sauce. Both still obviously use Marsala wine however the ingredients do differ.

There are different ways to prepare a Chicken Marsala. Your choice depends on your preference. The Chicken Marsala is a mixture of both Franco and Italian dish. It is usually made from chicken cutlets, mushrooms, and the key ingredient which is the Marsala wine. It is very important for someone preparing a Marsala sauce to use a good Marsala wine as it greatly determines the outcome of the quality and flavor of the sauce.

The Chicken Marsala is both elegant and delicious. It is also very easy to prepare. Chicken Marsala’s are comprised of browned chicken breast which is braised in a rich wonderful sauce of chicken stock, mushroom, shallots, and Marsala wine. You have the option to add other ingredients however the ones mentioned above should always be present. For serving, the consistency of the Marsala sauce should be reduced to that of syrup. If you want to achieve a creamy Chicken Marsala, cream should be added to the sauce before serving.

Here are 2 examples of Chicken Marsala recipe:

Ingredients

¼ cup all-purpose flour (for coating)
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons butter
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (pounded ¼ inch thick)
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup cooking sherry
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup Marsala wine

Directions

1. Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, and oregano in a shallow dish or bowl.
2. Coat the pieces of chicken in a flour mixture.
3. Using a large skillet and over medium heat, melt the butter in olive oil.
4. Place the chicken in the pan until it turns to light brown.
5. Turn over the other side the chicken pieces and at the same time add the mushrooms.
6. Add the Sherry and the Marsala wine
7. Cover the skillet and let the chicken pieces simmer for around 10 mins, turning the chicken only once halfway through
Ingredients

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 ½ pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour used for dredging
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces prosciutto sliced thinly
8 ounces stemmed and halved porcini or crimini mushrooms
½ cup sweet Marsala wine
½ cup chicken stock
2 tbls butter – Unsalted is better
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board side by side. Cover them with a plastic wrap and pound them with a flat meat mallet. Continue pounding until chicken breasts are about ¼ inch thick. In a shallow platter, place the flour seasoned with a fair quantity of salt and pepper. Distribute evenly with the use of a fork.

On a medium to high flame, heat the oil in a frying pan. Coat the two chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, making sure all excess is patted of. Place the chicken into the pan when the oil is hot enough and fry for five minutes on each side until golden. Take out of the pan and keep warm.

Turn the heat down and add the prosciutto to the pan and sauté for a minute to take out some of the fat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they have turned into a nice brown color and their moisture has already evaporated. About 5 minutes, season with both salt and pepper. Now, pour the Marsala in the pan and for a few minutes, boil down to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and let it simmer for about a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Once reduced add the butter and stir in well, next place the chicken back into the pan and reheat them. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with chopped parsley before serving.