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One of my favorite episodes from this past season of “Top Chef” took place at the CIA. The chefs had to take a classic dish and disguise it. Ed Cotton made an inside-out Chicken Cordon Bleu. This classic dish consists of a pounded-thin boneless chicken breast stuffed with ham and cheese. Cotton rolled the chicken inside the ham and cheese. The judges loved it.
I decided to make Chicken Cordon Bleu a few weeks ago. I usually do not buy boneless breasts unless I intend to make a stir-fry. I was in luck. Whole Foods had poultry on sale. I bought thinly-sliced Emmentaler — a nutty-flavored Swiss cheese which has been produced since the Middle Ages — and thinly-sliced jambon, the light pink ham from France.
I had fun pounding the chicken with a heavy pot. I rolled a few slices of ham and cheese together and then rolled them into the chicken. Brussels sprouts with caramelized shallots and roast potatoes completed our dinner.
Because Chicken Cordon Bleu is a classic dish, I got to thinking about other classics. Sole Veronique immediately came to mind. This French dish is made with seedless green grapes and white wine. The fish is poached in white wine and topped with a white sauce. Dover sole is expensive, so you can substitute it with fresh local flounder. Flute founder is thicker so if you choose this fish, you will have to cook it a bit longer in the oven, probably about 15 minutes. Potatoes au gratin and fresh green beans go well with it.
A fresh fruit compote or baked apples would be a fine dessert. So would any French pastry, fruit tart or a scoop of ice cream topped with sliced strawberries. From France I traveled to Hungary where goulash is a national dish. This stew can be made with chicken or meat. The only requirements are sweet paprika and sour cream. I always buy it imported from Hungary. I recently purchased a small tin of smoked Hungarian paprika at DiBruno Bros. on Chestnut Street. I will give you the recipe in an upcoming column.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Ingredients:
2 whole boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin and patted dry with paper towels
3 slices of imported Swiss cheese of choice
4 slices of jambon or prosciutto di Parma
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Roll the ham and cheese slices up like a jellyroll. Place them in the center of each breast and roll the chicken over the ham and cheese. Secure with wooden toothpicks. Place the poultry in a baking dish.
Brush the melted butter generously over the chicken. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
Bake the chicken for about 40 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the chicken.
Serves two.
Note from Phyllis: Recipe can be easily doubled. This is a great dish when company is coming.
Flounder Veronique
Ingredients:
4 6-ounce fillets of flounder, patted dry with paper towels
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Small handful of green seedless grapes, cut in half lengthwise
1 cup of dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris
2 tablespoons of butter
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the fish in a baking dish. Season with the salt and pepper. Pour the wine over the fish. Scatter the grapes in the wine.
Bake the fish for about 30 minutes depending upon the thickness.
Remove the fish from the oven. Pour the white wine into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and add the butter to enrich the sauce.
Serves four.
Note from Phyllis: Recipe can be easily doubled. SPR
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