Turkey Scallopini

Late June. The heat has arrived in earnest. 99 by Wednesday. The smoker on the 4 AM schedule. Mai had a tougher week — a small cold that lingered, but no fever, no chest involvement, just tiredness. She slept a lot. Linh checked on her twice daily. I went over Wednesday and Thursday and Sunday. I made congee both Wednesday and Thursday — easy on the throat, easy on the stomach, the universal Vietnamese sick food. Mai ate small portions and slept. By Saturday she was up and back to her routines, but more slowly than usual.

Linh and I had a kitchen-table conversation Saturday afternoon while Mai napped. The conversation we have been having for two years, in pieces, not in summaries. Mai is eighty-eight in March 2027 — nine months from now. The body is the body. We do not know how long we have. We make decisions accordingly. The decisions for now: don't move her. Don't hire help yet. Continue the current visiting rotation. Add a check-in by phone every morning before 9 AM (a new addition). Coordinate medical appointments. Stay alert.

Linh said something I have not been able to forget. She said, "Bao, after she goes, you and I will be the last two." I said, "I know." She said, "We will need each other." I said, "We will." We sat at the kitchen table. The afternoon light came through the window. Mai's soup pot — the same pot she has used for forty-five years — was on the stove, cooling from the morning's pho. The whole kitchen was Mai. The whole house was Mai. Linh and I would be the only ones left who remembered what the house was like in 1980, in 1990, in 2000. The siblings would be the keepers of the room.

Congee was the right food for the sick days — I stand by that completely. But by Sunday, Mai was moving around the kitchen again, asking where her slippers were, complaining the blinds were crooked. That meant I could cook something with a little more to it. Turkey scallopini is fast enough that it doesn’t feel like a production, but it lands on the plate looking like you meant it — and after the week Linh and I had been carrying, we both needed something that looked like we meant it.

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs turkey breast cutlets, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp capers, drained
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Lemon slices, for serving

Instructions

Dredge the cutlets. Mix flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Pat the turkey cutlets dry, then dredge each one in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Set aside on a clean plate.
Sear the turkey. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the cutlets in a single layer and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Add remaining oil and butter for the second batch if needed.
Build the pan sauce. Reduce heat to medium. Add the minced garlic to the same skillet and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Finish the sauce. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in the capers and remaining 1 tbsp butter until the butter is melted and the sauce is glossy.
Plate and serve. Return the turkey cutlets to the skillet and spoon the sauce over them. Warm through for 1 minute. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon slices. Serve immediately over rice, pasta, or with crusty bread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Turkey Scallopini — The Meal You Make When Someone Gets Better