Weekend Cook: Veal Cordon Bleu

Veal Cordon Bleu

Here's something that I haven't made in years.  Cordon Bleu can be done with chicken, pork or turkey cutlets - but I had some lovely veal on hand - so here's a wheatless way to do it up.

One pound of veal = 4 cutlets/servings.  I cubed 2 oz. of Havarti (I am out of Brother Laurent) and 2 oz. of Boucher Blue cheese.  The combination allows for the beefy flavors of the blue cheese to meld with the gooey texture of a washed curd cheese.

Combine that with 3/4 cup of the farm's smoked ham - but any sliced hammy meat will do.

Divide the filling into four and add a bit of pepper, roll up, tucking in the sides.

Dust with sweet rice flour (about 2 TB), then into an egg wash (one beaten x-large egg will suffice).

Roll in wheatless panko (about 6 TB)- my new favorite crunchy topping.  Let set in the refrigerator for at 1/2 an hour for the egg to absorb the coatings. Give it a sprinkle of salt and some more pepper before baking in a 350f oven for 22 - 24 minutes (on an oiled baking sheet).

The rest phase in the refrigerator is key to making sure it all sticks together when plating instead of falling apart.

Serve with your favorite easy red sauce.   Dan wondered why I don't make this more often.  The answer is because we rarely have leftover ham.

Cordon Bleu has everything: smokey, savory, crunchy, creamy - and it's a do-ahead dish that cooks quickly, which makes it a solid option for entertaining.