REPORT WEEK 5

INTRODUCTION

 A Cordon Bleu is a dish of meat wrapped around cheese then breaded and pan fried or deep-fried. For chicken cordon bleu, chicken breast is used instead of veal. Ham cordon bleu is ham stuffed with mushrooms and cheese. The origins of cordon bleu as a schinitzel filled with cheese are in Brig, Switzerland, probably about the 1940s. 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. There are many variations of the recipe, all of which involve a cutlet, cheese and meat. A popular way to prepare chicken cordon bleu is to butterfly cut a chicken breast, place a thin slice of ham inside, along with a thin slice of a soft, easily melted cheese such as Swis.

The chicken breast is then rolled into a roulade, coated in bread crumbs and then deep fried. Other variations exist with the chicken baked rather than fried. Other common variations include omitting the bread crumbs, wrapping the ham around the chicken or using bacon in place of ham. In largely Muslim-populated countries, the halal versions of chicken cordon bleu are also popular such as that chicken is rolled around beef or mutton instead of pork product

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS

As a student, I arrived college to help the COD incharge to prepare all the ingredients that is needed to cook. After that, COD asked Chef Putra for the key of the gas house to turn on the gas. As my colleagues arrived soon after that, the COD incharge checked our attire and cleanliness before allowing them to enter the kitchen. He assured that we wear clean, white chef jacket with apron and with clean and shorted nails.

STANDARD RECIPE FOR CHICKEN CORDON BLEU
 - Chicken breast
 - Ham
 - Salt
 - Cheese
 - Ground black pepper
 - Breadcrumbs
 - Butter
 - Paprika

 COOKING METHOD

 1. Flatten chicken to ¼ inch thickness, top each with ham and cheese.
 2. Roll up and tuck in ends, secure with toothpicks.
3. Place butter in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, salt and paprika.
4. Dip chicken in butter then roll in crumb mixture.
5. Transfer to greased 8 inch square baking tray. Bake at 350oC for 40-45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.
6. Discard toothpicks and ready to be served.

CONCLUSION

 While preparing to roll the chicken cordon bleu, we learned that chicken cordon bleu are slightly different from chicken roulade. Despite it can have the same filling, but the cooking method and skills used are different. In my opinion, this dish is easy to prepare and can be eaten during lunch and dinner.