German Chicken, Ham, And Cheese Roulades

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved (about 1 pound each)
• 4 slices westphalian ham (thin slices) or 4 slices black forest ham (thin slices)
• 4 slices gruyere (thin slices) or 4 slices emmenthaler cheese (thin slices)
• 1 medium garlic clove, very finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed dried thyme or 1/4 teaspoon marjoram or 1/4 teaspoon sage
• fresh ground pepper
• 1/3 cup dry wine
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• watercress or parsley sprig

Recipe

• 1 place each chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap and pound it lightly with the flat side of a cleaver or a wooden mallet until it is about 1/4 inch thick. trim the slices of ham and cheese so that they are the same size as the flattened pieces of chicken. place a slice of ham on each piece of chicken and cover the ham with a slice of cheese. season with the finely chopped garlic, thyme, marjoram, or sage and pepper. roll up the pieces tightly and fasten with wooden picks, or tie securely with string.
• 2 arrange the roulades in a greased baking sheet just large enough to hold them comfortably in one layer and pour the wine and broth over them. cover with aluminum foil. bake in a preheated 350°f oven 35 to 40 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
• 3 transfer the roulades to a platter and cool to room temperature, then cover and chill. remove the wooden picks or string. slice the roulades crosswise into rounds and arrange on a chilled serving platter. garnish with watercress or parsley sprigs and serve. makes about 20.
• 4 variation: in a medium sized, heavy skillet melt 2 tablespoons clarified butter, or heat a mixture of 1 tablespoon each butter and flavorless vegetable oil or olive oil over moderate. add the roulades and sauté, turning to brown lightly on all sides. add the wine and chicken broth and bring to a boil. reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer about 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender. cool, chill, slice, and serve as directed above.
• 5 the international appetizer cookbook.sonia uvezian.tastemaker award winner.