Where does Chicken Cordon Bleu come from?
The French term cordon bleu is translated as "blue ribbon". According to Larousse Gastronomique cordon bleu "was originally a wide blue ribbon worn by members of the highest order of knighthood;Ordre des chevaliers du Saint-Esprit, instituted by Henri III of France in 1578. By extension, the term has since been applied to food prepared to a very high standard and to outstanding cooks. The analogy no doubt arose from the similarity between the sash worn by the knights and the ribbons (generally blue) of a cook&apron.
A cordon bleu or schnitzel cordon bleu is a dish of meat wrapped around cheese (or with
cheese filling), then breaded and pan-fried or deep-fried. Vealor pork cordon bleu is made of
veal or pork pounded thin and wrapped around a slice of ham and a slice of cheese, breaded,
and then pan fried or baked. For chicken cordon bleu chicken breast is used instead of veal. Ham cordon bleu is ham stuffed with mushrooms and cheese.
What is the origin of Chicken Cordon Bleu?
The origins of cordon bleu as a schnitzel filled with cheese are in Switzerland, probably about
the 1940s, first mentioned in a cookbook from 1949. The earliest reference to & chicken cordon bleu; in The New York Times is dated to 1967, while similar veal recipes are found from at least 1955.
Ingredients:
4 steaks of chicken breast opened.
4 slices of York ham.
8 slices of gruyere cheese.
Flour.
2 eggs.
Grated bread.
Virgin Extra Olive oil.
Salt.
Time of preparation: 30 min.
How to cook Chicken Cordon Bleu:
First step: Ingredients preparation.
Spread the steaks cut and opened in half and put salt and black pepper on them.
Take 3 plates, put flour in one, grated bread in the second one and the eggs in the third one,
stir the eggs and preserve.
Top Tip: put the salt and the pepper in each side of the steak, to obtain a homogenous flavour but be careful that you don’t put too much.
Second step: Fill the Steaks.
In order to prepare the steaks to fry them, we are going to take one half of the steak and put a slice of York ham on it, then put a slice of cheese on the top, close the steak with the other half.
Do this process with the rest of the steaks.
Top Tip: be careful you don’t put too much stuffing inside that you can’t manage the steak afterwards.
Final Step.
Take one stuffed steak and put them in the plate of the flour, cover all the surface with it, then put it in the egg plate and follow the same process and, finally, do the same with the grated bread, always in this order and with each steak.
Take a pan and put olive oil inside, the oil should cover at least half of the thickness of the
steak. Finally, when the oil is hot, put the steak inside and fry them. When they get a golden
colour in each side, the steak is ready, remove the extra oil and serve!
Usually this dish is complemented with a salad.
Top Tip: shake the steaks after putting flour and grated bread on them to remove the excess of them and reach a softer and homogenous fry.
