Tuesday, August 21, 2007

My First Hollandaise Sauce, and Chicken Cordon Bleu Roll-Ups

And it was good!

Hollandaise Sauce

I was inspired by this post on the Home Cook's blog to do another chicken roll-up with a creamy, lemony sauce. Theirs looked awesome, but I wanted just a straight hollandaise on this particular day. So I went hunting of the FoodTV site, and I found one by Tyler Florence that calls for a whole stick of butter. Ah, no. I figured there would be some way to lighten up what is basically warm mayonnaise once I found a feasible recipe... And this one by Paula Deen did the trick. Here it is reprinted, with my changes added in italics:

2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons cream (I used 4 tablespoons nonfat yogurt)
2 large tablespoons butter (I used light butter)
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon ground mustard
pinch cayenne

Pinch salt
Pinch sugar
Chicken broth, optional
1 tablespoon white vinegar

The instructions were, "Combine all ingredients in the top of a double boiler, over boiling water. Stir until thick, approximately 3 minutes; set aside until ready to use. Do not reheat or cover the pot. Thin, if needed with a little chicken broth. Stir in the vinegar." I did the heating part, and it wasn't coming together or thickening... So I quickly added a dissolved teaspoon of corn starch, and added a tablespoon of Just Too Good! light mayo and whisked those in. Then it came together perfectly. I don't know if I needed the additions, or if I was just impatient and it would have thickened anyway... But it worked!

For the chicken cordon bleu, I flattened two chicken breasts, and then covered them with some prosciutto I had bought for Chris' lunches (hey, it was in the house, anyway). Then I just put in a half-stick of string cheese in each, and some smoked Monterey jack cheese. I tied them with string, and just lightly grilled the sides of them.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Roll-Ups

I then put the chicken in a covered dish and baked them for 20-25 minutes more on 375. Then I grilled some asparagus, because you know, it is the dream of all young asparaguses to one day be bathed in hollandaise sauce. And who am I to dash the hopes of any young asparagi? Guses?

Grilled Asparagus

When all was done, I sliced the chicken and laid it out attractively on the plate for its close-up.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Roll-Ups

I have to say, it was just right. It had a lovely tang to it, and just the right lemony taste with a little vinegar in at the end. I ended up spreading it on not only the asparagus, but the chicken, and a dinner roll as well.

8 comments:

  1. Hey Gina, I hope your husband tells you all the time how he loves you - What a thrill to be looking forward to "what is she cooking for dinner tonite?" Again, thank you Gina - Gr. Shirley

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  2. Awww... Thanks Grandma. And yes, he does. :)

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  3. How come your chicken rolls look so much better then mine? :P Seriously, how do you get them to actually be rolls? Whenever we pound out the chicken it always ends up too misshapen for proper rolling.

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  4. Well, at first I would pound them too much, and I'd get a hole in them. Which is why the ham helps, because it is sort of a solid backing layer. Then if you look at it, there will be some parts that stick out, if you know what I mean... I just tuck those a little in at the ends, then roll it. And I liked the string, because it made more of a neat little parcel that you can just sort of bind up!

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  5. yuh-um. I am so glad you didn't dash those little asparaguses hopes...the theme of our honeymoon dining was asparagus and hollandaise for me as I recall...it came with my eggs benedict at the Palmer House that first morning and just set the tone for the rest of the week...:)
    Love the way you were able to lighten it a bit!

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  6. Hey, you are so gifted!-- in cooking, presentation, and photography!
    This looks deelish. Another dish goes on my list for what to make Ma for dinner!!

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  7. Well, you HAD the leftover hollandaise sauce... :)

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  8. Your asparagus looks amazing! How on earth can you get the coveted perfect batch? I'm still experimenting and getting nowhere!

    PS - yes, I am back, by the way! :)

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