Veal cordon bleu is a dish made with veal steaks, ham, and Swiss cheese. The veal is pounded and assembled with ham and cheese, coated in egg and milk, flour, and breadcrumbs, and fried in butter. Variations include using chicken, different cheeses, and baking instead of frying.
In its basic form, veal cordon bleu is a main course that includes veal steaks, ham, and Swiss cheese. The veal slices are pounded and then assembled with ham and cheese. The “packets” are dipped in a combination of beaten egg and milk, dipped in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, dipped in breadcrumbs, and fried in melted butter until cooked through. Like other recipes, the veal cordon bleu recipe has evolved over time. Interested cooks can find recipes using chicken slices instead of veal slices, different types of cheeses instead of Swiss cheese, and recipes for baking instead of frying this dish.
A simple veal cordon bleu recipe calls for veal steaks, thin pieces of ham, and thin slices of Swiss cheese. Furthermore, the recipe calls for flour, dry breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, eggs, milk and butter. The cook should pound the veal slices until the slices are thin or “scalloped.” Veal scallops are also available at some grocery stores for those who don’t want to take the time to flatten the veal.
To assemble the veal cordon bleu, a piece of veal is placed on a flat surface. The cook should place a piece of ham and a piece of cheese on top of the veal. The package is completed with a final piece of veal. The edges are pressed together to “close” the blue bead.
Each package of veal cordon bleu should be lightly coated in flour including salt and pepper to taste. The cordon bleu should then be dipped in a mixture of beaten egg and milk, followed by the bread crumbs. After patting the breadcrumbs in place, the cordon bleu should be dipped into the egg-milk mixture and the breadcrumbs again.
The veal cordon bleu should be cooked in melted butter for about six minutes on each side. Each side of the cordon bleu “packet” should be golden brown before serving. Meats should also be cooked.
Other recipes call for a sauce combining seasonings from the skillet with white wine to be poured over the veal cordon before serving. Others use ham instead of ham. Some recipes suggest provolone instead of Swiss cheese. Interested chefs can try their own variations to add to the ongoing evolution of this dish.
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