Cordon Bleu
(Sent Wednesday, 07 January 2004)
Russ:
I have a couple of veal chops (whose
bones went into the stock pot); some very thin-sliced good ham; and a chunk
of Emmenthaler to slice or grate. I plan to pound the veal out to half its
thickness (It's already too thin to make a pocket in.), add a layer of ham
and a layer of cheese, roll, tie, and braise. Question is what if anything
to put in the middle.
Dry mustard & bay leaf? Garlic,
lime, ancho, & sprinkle of tequila? Mixture of half ground venison and
half pork sage sausage? Chopped onion, seasoned or not? sliver of dill
pickle?? Chopped cabbage or Rotkohl?
If this works, I may try to figure out how to bone raw squirrel haunches ....
TomC:
My mother and grandmother used to make
"veal birds" somewhat like what you're describing. The filling was
seasoned bread crumbs (chopped ham, a little garlic, and basil) a slice of
onion, and a bay leaf. The whole thing was then skewered together,
dipped in egg and bread crumbs, and fried in olive oil to crispness.
> If this works, I may try to figure out how to bone raw squirrel haunches ....
Gently. Peel them and fill them, bread them and fry them....
Andrea:
Russ: Maybe some rosemary and
that's it. What will you braise this in? Something with a little white
wine, perhaps?
Russ:
> What will you braise this in?
> Something with a little white wine, perhaps?
Depends what I put in the middle. If
chopped onions, probably only its own juices (covered, of course). If bread
crumbs, yes, probably white wine a/o stock; and if white wine, probably a
little tarragon somewhere ...
Ralph:
Sounds like what my Norwegian born
Mother calls (litteral translation 'cause I can't spell it) "birds without
wings". They kind of look like birds. Flank steak cut thin and pounded. Onion,
bacon and some other spices rolled inside. Tied with string. Pan fried till
brown then a brown gravy is added.
TomC:
The name my mother used was "spiedini,"
which translated means "skewered." But she also called them, in English,
"veal birds." Pretty close.
> They kind of look like birds.
That they do. Typically my mother
would roll 3-4 of them and skewer them together before breading and frying
the "package." Hence the name "spiedini."
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