Counting (Richie's) Chickens

He's become a good cook, quite possibly because he follows a recipe exactly. I swear if it called for "three grains of salt," he'd count them out. We had the Cordon Bleu last night.

POULET CORDON BLEU (serves four; he halved it for us)
4 chicken breasts, split and pounded out
black pepper to taste
4 teas. Dijon mustard
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices prosccciutto or ham (he used Black Forest)
1 cup bread crumbs

"Butter" each breast with mustard, add a slice of cheese then a slice of ham. Roll it up as best you can and tooth pick it shut. Dredge in flour, then beaten egg and finally the bread crumbs. Bake in a dish lined with parchment paper for 35 - 45 minutes.

Sauce
1/2 cup dry, white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 T flour
1 T butter
1 cup cold milk

Heat the wine in a sauce pan, reducing it by half. Add the chicken broth, bring it back to a boil and then simmer it. Keep warm until ready to add.

In another sauce pan, make a roux by melting butter over medium heat until bubbly. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk for 8 - 10 minutes. Add the cold milk and whisk it in completely, add the wine sauce and add a dash of pepper. Plate the chicken and top it with the sauce.

CHICKEN PICCATA (Serves 4)
4 split, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs.
2 T olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with parchment. Pound out chicken to 1/4 in. thick.

Mix the flour and a pinch of pepper on a plate. On a second plate, beaten eggs plus 1 T water. The third plate has the bread crumbs. Dredge each breast in flour, then egg and finally bread crumbs. Heat 2 T olive oil and saute chicken until browned - about two minutes per side. Put the breasts on the cookie sheet and bake 5 - 10 minutes.

Sauce
3 T sweet butter at room temperature
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup dry white wine

Melt 1 T butter, then add the lemon juice, white wine and pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced by half; about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat, add 2 T butter and stir well. Sauce the chickens and serve.