Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

• 6 (10-ounce) chicken breasts, pounded out to 1/2-inch in thickness
• 12 ounces thin-sliced ham
• 6 ounces Gruyere cheese

Breading:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 cups ground bread crumbs (biscuit crumbs preferred)
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Egg Wash:

• 12 eggs, well beaten

Hollandaise Sauce:

• 4 egg yolks
• Pinch fine salt
• Pinch white pepper
• Pinch paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 pound clarified butter, warmed until soft
• Oil, enough for deep-frying

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Take a piece of chicken and place 2 ounces ham and 1-ounce Gruyere cheese in the middle. Roll up the chicken breast tightly and place toothpicks in the ends and middle. Place the chicken breasts in an oiled baking dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 18 minutes.

For the breading:

Combine all ingredients, mix well, and place on a large platter.

To prepare the Hollandaise sauce:

Gently place 4 egg yolks in a food processor and add a pinch of salt, white pepper, paprika, the lemon juice and hot sauce. Place the warmed clarified butter into the food processor very slowly until it thickens. To thicken the sauce, add an egg yolk and to thin it out add warm water.

Place the baked chicken cordon bleu in the egg wash and then coat evenly with the breading mixture. Repeat process again.

Deep-fry the breaded chicken at 325 degrees F for 3 minutes. Drizzle the Hollandaise Sauce over top of chicken.