Roux

A roux is a simple combination of two ingredients that makes your life so much easier in the kitchen when thickening soups, sauces and gravies; just to name a few. To make a roux is very easy, like I said, it is only two ingredients.

Take unsalted butter and melt down on low heat. Drain off the clarified butter on the top and discard the milk fats that have collected on the bottom. In a heavy sauce pan, on medium heat, add the clarified butter and equal amounts of plain flour. Heat the mixture until it begins to put off a slightly nutty aroma. Remove from heat and store in a container until needed. You can store it in a cool dark area, or if you have made a large amount, store in the refrigerator.

The importance of using plain flour is not evident when you make the initial product. However, depending on what you are adding it to can be very important. You do not want to use self rising flour because it already has baking powder and salt added. The baking powder is the major reason you do not want to use self rising flour for roux, as it could cause a rapid boil over when added to a product and ruin what you are cooking and potentially burn you.

When using roux, just add small pieces, about the size of a pad of butter, until you get the desired thickness. Have your product on medium high heat and stir in with a whisk. Remember, the sauce will thicken more as it cools.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a classic French dish simplified. Good food does not necessarily mean complicated food.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless chicken breasts, pounded flat
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices deli ham
8 spears fresh asparagus (optional)
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
¼ cup melted butter
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Pound out the chicken breasts until equal thickness through out, using a meat mallet. Lay breasts with inside facing up. (Determining the inside and outside of the breast is easy. The outside is smooth, and the inside you can see the muscle tissue.) Layer Swiss cheese, deli ham, and asparagus across short part of the meat. Grasping one end of breast, tightly roll it up and secure with a toothpick. Lay seam side down in a baking dish sprayed with pan release.

Season with salt and pepper. Mix breadcrumbs and butter together and evenly sprinkle on top of breasts. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes and breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Serve over wild rice with a White Basil Sauce.




White Basil Sauce

In a saucepan, combine 1 tablespoon butter, 1 teaspoon chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, sea salt and pepper to taste. Bring up to medium heat and stir to keep from burning. Once hot, add 1 pint heavy whipping cream. Bring back up to heat, until you get a gentle rolling boil. Allow to reduce slightly and thicken with a pinch of roux. Roux (pronounced roué) is melted clarified butter heated with a little plain flour and made into a paste. Remember, sauce will thicken more once it cools some. If it is too thick, just add a little more cream or milk.

Serve over Chicken Cordon Bleu.