There are moments in the kitchen that call for innovation, but tonight ain't one of 'em. We're doing chicken cordon bleu, the famous French dish, with a classic hollandaise sauce. Although I've made a few substitutions--coppa for ham, panko instead of breadcrumbs--the spirit of the dish stays pretty close to home.
Start with a pounded chicken thigh or breast. Place it on a sheet of plastic wrap and cover with a mix of grated cheese (tonight I'm using an aged Vermont cheddar and smoked mozzarella), salt, pepper, chopped fresh herbs (thyme tonight, but most anything'd work) and a splash of brandy for moisture to help adhere the seam when its rolled up. Overlay that with a slice or two of coppa, ham, prosciutto or whatever you prefer. Be careful not to overstuff.
Chicken Cordon Bleu from the baron on Vimeo.
On top of the plastic wrap, roll the chicken closed so you have a bit of overlap at the seam. Then pull the plastic wrap tight around the chicken roll, especially at the seam, and twist to assure a solid closure. Place the plastic-wrapped chicken on a plate and refrigerate for 20 or so minutes. This preparation obviates meddlesome kitchen twine and toothpicks by allowing the chicken roll to form its own closure.
For the breading, start with egg wash (eggs and milk) in one bowl and panko in another. Remove the plastic and dip the chicken in the egg wash and then the panko. Now it's ready to be browned on the stove (seam side down to begin), and then thrown in the oven until done. Mine tonight took about 15-20 minutes in the oven at around 375 degrees.
For the hollandaise, as Mark Bittman tells us in "How to Cook Everything," the blender makes what used to be a delicate operation nearly fool-proof. Start with two egg yolks in the blender, add some lemon juice, salt, pepper, balsamic, a very small amount of whole grain mustard and chopped herbs. Drizzle a bit of melted butter in and blend. Continue adding butter as it blends until the sauce thickens and has a smooth consistency. Everything here's to taste, so be sure to kill the blender and grab a nibble often.
To heat the hollandaise, boil water in a fry pan and throw in a (paper) towel. Transfer the hollandaise to a glass or metal bowl and place on the towel. Stir almost constantly until the sauce warms (to about the temperature of bath water)--but of course be careful not to let the eggs scramble.
Tonight, we served up the chicken cordon bleu with smashed new potatoes and a simple side salad.
Leave a comment