Chicken Cordon Bleu

 Greetings to all fellow home cooking chefs here on the East Coast of Africa and around this beautiful world we live in.

Before we start, just for fun, I would like to tell you how the name Cordon Bleu, came about.

It refers to a special order of French Knights and translates to "Blue Ribbon".

In 1578 Henry III of Franch established the tradition of the highest order of knighthood bearing a blue ribbon.   France created the L'Ordre des Chevaliers du Saint Esprit (Order of the knights of the Holy Spirit),

All members had to be at least 35 years old and Roman Catholic, these knights were then called Les Cordon Bleus, hence the name Cordon Bleu.

So how did it relate to food, you ask?

After every ceremony these Knights , with highly respected guests, had huge sumptuous feasts held in their honor that became legendary. It is believed the name of the knights then became synonymous with the food prepared for their events. Over time, it became a symbol of prestigious quality.

I hope you found the above interesting. 

• 4 chicken breast fillets skinned.
• 4 slices of smoked ham
• 2 eggs whisked.
• 4 slices cheddar cheese
• Butter and Oil for frying.
• 1 Cup fresh bread crumbs can be white or 
  

For the Sauce we will need:

• 4 egg yolks.
• Pinch white pepper.
• ¼ tsp. lemon juice.
• ¼ Tabasco sauce.
• 450grams/1lb butter heated until softened.  

• Cut the chicken fillets in halves horizontally, take care not to cut all the way through.
• Open chicken fillets, cover with cling wrap and flatten the fillets with your hands.
• Remove cling wrap and season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Lay a slice of cheese and ham,
• Wrap the chicken fillets with the help of a string.
  
• Dip fillets in the whipped egg and then the bread crumbs.
• Heat the oil and butter in your frying pan.
• Brown the fillets gently.
• Preheat oven to 440°F/200°C. 
  
• Remove fillets and string and transfer to your oven pan lined with baking paper.
• Bake for 20minutes until cooked and nice and juicy.
• When cooked place fillets on paper towel to drain.
• Place baked fillets in a glass serving dish and pour you Hollandaise sauce over it.
  

Viola!! you have just completed an old classic recipe that dates back to the15th Century  

Plating

There are many ways of presenting this Chicken Cordon Bleu and I have mentioned a couple below.

• Goes great with rice of your choice and steamed medley of veggies
  
• Creamy mash potatoes and mixed veggies.
• Roasted Asparagus and Hollandaise sauce. (see recipe below).
  
• Creamy mash potatoes, peas and corn kennels.
• On a hot day with cold salads of your choice.
  Above are just a few plating ideas I'm sure you can come up with other ideas, if you do please share with us..
  

 Hollandaise Sauce

   Method for Hollandaise Sauce:

• Place egg yolks in food processer.
• Add pinch of salt, white pepper, paprika.
• ¼ tsp. Tabasco sauce.
• Add the warm butter and slowly process until it thickens.
• To thicken sauce you can add another egg yolk.
• To thin it out add warm water.
  

This article was printed from Home-Cooking-Haven.com.com

Oven Temp's

Cooking Terms and Tips

Al Dente: Usually applied to Pasta, means cooked until just done, but not soft. The pasta should still maintain some "bite:

Barbeque:  To cook foods over coals, known as a Braai in South Africa (The best in the world for this type of cooking).

Baste: To moisten food for added flavor and to prevent drying out while cooking.

Blanch: To cook briefly in boiling water to seal in flavour and color.

Bouquet Garni: A tied bundle of herbs, usually parsley, thyme, and bay leaves that are added to flavor soups, stews, and sauces but removed before serving.

Braise: Two cook first by browning, then gently simmer till done.

Bread: To coat with crumbs or cornmeal before cooking.

Broil: To cook on a rack or spit during or over direct heat, usually in and on top.

Brown: Two cook over high heat, usually on top of the stove, to brown food.

Caramelize: To Heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a syrup.

Core: To remove the seeds or tough woody centers from fruits and vegetables.

Cream: The butterfat portion of milk.   Also to beat ingredients, usually sugar and a fat, until smooth and fluffy.

Cube: To cut food into small ½ inch cubes.

Cut In: To distribute a solid fat in flour using a cutting motion, with 2 knives used scissors-fashion or a pastry blender, until divided evenly into tiny pieces.  Usually refers to making pastry.

Croutons: These are tiny cubes of toasted or fried bread, used as a garnish.

Coriander:  Also known as Dhania.

Dollop: A spoonful of soft food such as whipped cream or mashed potatoes.

Dot: To scatter butter in bits over food.

Dress: To coat foods such as salad with a sauce.  Also, to clean fish, poultry or game for cooking.

Drippings: Juices and fats rendered by meat or poultry while cooking.

Drizzle: To pour melted butter, oil, syrup, melted chocolate, or other liquid back and forth over food in a fine stream.

Experiment:   Always keep to the basics, but, take out and put in spices etc. to your tastes.

Fines Herbs: A mixture of herbs, normally parsley, chervil, chives and tarragon used to flavor fish, chicken and eggs.

Glace: To coat foods with glossy mixtures such as jellies or sauces.

Julienne: To cut into long thin strips match-sticklike in shape

Macerate: To soak in flavoured liquid; usually refers to fruit

Picked Over:  If you are working with lentils or other beans you might sometimes find a few little rocks that managed to sneak their way in, picked over means to make sure there are none left in what you are going to be using.

Poach: To cook gently over very low heat  is barely simmering liquid just to cover.

Puree: To mash or grind food until completely smooth. Usually in a food processor, blender, sieve, or food mill.

Ragout:  The basic method of preparation involves slow cooking over a low heat.

Reduce: To thicken a liquid and concentrate its flavor by boiling.

Render: To cook fatty meat or poultry - such as bacon or goose - over low heat to obtain drippings.

Sear:  To brown surface of meat quickly over a high heat, to seal in juices.

Simmer: To cook in liquid at just below boiling point, with only a few bubbles breaking the surface.

Skim:  To remove surface foam or fat from a liquid.

Seep:  To soak in a liquid just under the boiling point to extract the essence i.e. Tea.

Truss: To tie whole poultry with skin or skewers so it will hold its shape in cooking.

Whip: To beat eggs or cream with a wire whisk, eggbeater or electric mixer which increases the volume as air is incorporated into the eggs or cream.

Zest: The outer, colored part of the peel of citrus fruits.

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