Here is something French with a Hungarian memory. The first time I had this was up in the Vár in Budapest in a lovely medieval themed restaurant. Guszti, one of my brothers ordered it for me and my girls. He said you will all like this and he was right. For years I classified cordon bleu as an exotic French dish, until a popular North American frozen food manufacturer made it into an every day thing. I never actually bought a package, me being a sworn enemy of chemically induced convenience foods. I make it occasionally for nostalgia’s sake, even though Jim would rather forgo the cheese and the ham. Because of this, I switched the cooked ham for a slice of smoked prosciutto, it is thinner and seems to blend into the chicken meat. Also I use thin slices of Canadian Swiss Cheese, that too is a milder cheese and the man finds it more agreeable with his meat than the traditional gruyére. The recipe is for two servings, increase the ingredients as needed.
CHICKEN CORDON BLEU
2 pieces of boneless chicken breastsalt
2 Swiss cheese slices
2 ham slices [I use smoked prosciutto]
1/2 cup flour
1 egg lightly beaten
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
oil for frying
• Remove fatty bits and any bone that may be lodged in the chicken.
• Set each chicken breast on a cutting board on its side and butterfly [cut each to half its original thickness].
• Cover with plastic wrap and pound each breast peace until it is 1/4 inch thick.
• Lightly salt it.
• Place a slice of ham and a slice of Swiss cheese on one half of each breast meat.
• Fold the meat over enveloping the ham and cheese.
• Press them together between the palms of your hands and set them aside.
• Line up 3 plates side by side.
• Add flour to the first, egg to the second and fine breadcrumbs to the third plate.
• Hint: You will want a well sealed envelope of breading around the chicken pieces to keep the cheese from running out during frying. It is important therefore to drench the chicken pieces at each stage of coating, not leaving any part uncovered. Use your hands transferring the chicken from flour to eggs and then to the breadcrumbs. You could use two forks, but I find it easier to use my hands. This allows me to press the breading into the meat and thus forming a well sealed crust around the chicken.
• Dip one of the prepared chicken pieces into flour first, coating it completely and press together.
• Next dip it into the beaten egg, once again coating it completely.
• Finally, place the chicken into the breadcrumbs; coat it completely and press together.
• Coat the remaining chicken.
• In a deep skillet place about 3/4 inch of oil.
• Place it on medium heat and heat up the oil for frying.
• Carefully slide the breaded chicken pieces into the oil and fry them uncovered until golden and crispy on both sides. Turn the chicken a few times, gently, with two forks, but do not puncture the meat.
• Transfer the golden crispy fried chicken pieces to a paper towel lined plate for a couple of minutes and then serve.
