Chicken Cordon Bleu'

"'Cordon Bleu' is a French term, literally translated as 'blue ribbon’, which originally referred to an award for culinary excellence given to women cooks! The term can now apply to any superior cook (yes, men too), and also to this dish (chicken, ham and Swiss cheese slices, breaded and sautéed). This yummy version adds paprika and a creamy white wine sauce worthy of its own blue ribbon. Two blue ribbon tastes in wedded bliss -- Chicken Cordon Bleu II!"

Recipe Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

•  6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
•  6 slices Swiss cheese
•  6 slices ham
•  3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•  1 teaspoon paprika
•  6 tablespoons butter
•  1/2 cup dry white wine
•  1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
•  1 tablespoon cornstarch
•  1 cup heavy whipping cream

PREP: 15 mins.  COOK: 45 mins.  READY IN: 1 hr.

Directions

Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Tip: Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

Chef Emeritus

General Tso’s Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into 1” chunks)
• 5 dried red chili peppers
• 3 green onions (sliced)
• 3 eggs (beaten)
• ½ cup cornstarch
• oil (for frying)

Sauce:

• 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons rice wine
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl combine cornstarch and beaten eggs. Mix well to create a batter. Add chicken bits and coat thoroughly.

Step 2: To make the sauce- in a small bowl combine rice vinegar, rice wine, soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch. Mix well and set aside.

Step 3: Heat deep fryer or wok to 375 degrees and deep fried chicken bits in batches. Drain on paper towels.

Step 4: Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to your wok. Add dried chili peppers to your wok and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add chicken bits to the wok and stir fry for a couple minutes.

Step 5: Add sauce mixture to the wok and cook stirring until the sauce becomes thickened and bubbly. Garnish with green onions and serve.

(Makes about 2 servings)

Chef Emeritus

Rosemary and Olive Cassoulet

One of the perfect dishes for Meatless Mondays.

PREP 15 MINS

COOK 5 HRS

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups dried green flageolet beans or 2 cups great northern beans or 2 cups lima beans
• 4 cups water, plus more for soaking
• 1⁄2 tablespoon reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup kalamata olive, pitted drained
• 4 rosemary sprigs

DIRECTIONS:

Place the beans in a crock pot and cover with water. Cover and soak overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans and return them to the crock pot.

Add the water, broth, bay leaves, garlic and pepper, stirring well.

Set the crock pot to high and cook for 4-5 hours.

Drizzle the olive oil onto the beans and top with the olives and rosemary. Replace the lid on the crock pot and set aside for 20 to 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle. Stir well and serve.

SERVINGS 4-6

Chef Emeritus

Amaya Lake shines at Culinary Art Competition

First row (left to right): Hemantha Rathnayake (F&B Manager), HB Dayananda (Sous Chef), Asanka Liyanagedera (Executive Chef), Sarath Amarawickrama (Sous Chef), DHT Chandimal (F&B Executive)

Second row (left to right): Chaminda Basnayake, Nuran Gunarathne, Ruwan Kumara, Sunil Jayantha, Shehani Deraniyagala, AG Ranasinghe, Dilruk Silva, Krishantha Herath, Manoj Rathnayake

Amaya Lake, Dambulla, a prestigious four-star resort, was honoured with 20 medals for culinary expertise presented to its food and beverage team at the 15th Culinary Art Competition,
.
Accepted by the World Association of Chefs’ Societies (WACS), this culinary show is judged by WACS’s approved professionals from around the world, keeping with the WACS guidelines. Established in 1988, this event has now become a competing field for over 1,000 chefs from around the island, competing for gold, silver and bronze medals.

Executive Chef Asanka Liyanagedara won gold in butter sculpture, gold in ice carving, silver in artistic showpiece, silver in plated dessert and silver in vegetable carving. Sous Chef H.B. Dayananda won silver in butter sculpture, bronze in ice carving and bronze in vegetable carving. Kitchen artist A.G. Ruwan Kumara won gold in ice carving and bronze in butter sculpture.

Chef De Partie Sunil Jayantha won bronze in live hot cooking; Demi Chef De Partie T.G.S.D. Silva won bronze for dress the cake live; Chef De Partie A.G. Ranasinghe won bronze for his vegetarian menu; Commis Shehani Deraniyagala won bronze in apprentice dessert live; Restaurant Supervisor Manoj Rathnayake won silver for his mocktail; Restaurant Captain Aruna Bandara won silver in brew coffee and bronze for his mocktail; Bar Captain Nuran Gunarathna won bronze in brew coffee and Barman Chaminda Basnayake won silver for his vodka Redbull and bronze for his arrack cocktail.

Food, beverage and hospitality competitions are an essential factor in strengthening the quality of tourism services provided in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan foods have a special taste, compared to foods in other countries, and with the creativity of Sri Lankan cooks, they can make tourists remember their dishes and want to return back.

With expert mentoring, the highly skilled chefs at Amaya Resorts have been given the opportunity to showcase their talents on a national platform at some prestigious events. Once again, these wins have given Amaya Lake the chance to show the culinary industry the fantastic talent they have within their kitchens, as well as allowing the chefs to gain valuable experience from competing against some of the country’s most acclaimed chefs.


Amaya Resorts and Spas has six resorts in five destinations in Sri Lanka and brings guests an authentic experience that reflects the culture, nature and beauty the island has to offer. This concept is an initiative to further manifest the company’s Sri Lankan roots while at the same time identifying its offerings as boutique level products.

Amaya – the Sanskrit word for reality and non illusion – has been named such because it offers its customers the best of the country’s indigenous cultural and ecological heritages.
This concept has been carried across all of the resorts and spas, with improvements in facade, products offered and service standard, showing Amaya’s enhanced commitment to its customers.

Chef Emeritus

Subuku Rolls Bacon Sushi

Sushi purists please avert your eyes now. There's a lot to read through on the East-meets-West menu at Subuku Sushi in Normal Heights. And though a small section is devoted to classic handrolls, nigiri and sashimi, most diners come for the zany rolls — with names like When Pigs Fry and Just for the Halibut — involving everything from sweet potato, filet mignon and chicken teriyaki to an entire page of items with bacon.

For full porcine immersion, order up I Bacon Your Pardon. Inside the roll you'll find a slab of bacon rolled up with spicy crab, asparagus and lightly seared scallops. Chillean sea bass tops the roll and the sushi chef brushes it with a glazed bacon sauce, garlic aioli and sweet mandarin juice. A dollop of Sriracha on each piece adds color as well as heat. It’s finished with pieces of candied garlic, tempura "crunchies" and scallions. Of course no soy sauce is needed. The bacon flavor doesn’t hit you over the head. Instead you’ll taste a wisp of sweet honey and hickory smoke intermingled with seafood. The balance of flavors — sweet, salty, spicy and bacony — is far from traditional Japanese fare but that doesn't mean it's not utterly delicious.

RECOMMENDED ON ZAGAT

Chef Emeritus