Fennel Cordon Bleu

I will introduce you to an Italian variant of the classic Cordon Bleu, replacing the usual chicken or veal with fennel for a vegetarian version of the French dish. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 2 large fennels
• 100 g of sliced cheese (Fontina, Provolone, Mozzarella or other Italian melting cheese)
• 100 g of cooked ham (for a vegetarian version, it can be excluded or replaced with another ingredient such as grilled eggplants)
• 2 eggs
• Flour as needed
• Bread crumbs as needed
• Salt
• Pepper
• Oil for frying

Preparation

1. Start by cleaning the fennel, removing the toughest outer leaves and cutting off the base and green parts. Slice them into slices about 1 cm thick. Boil the fennel slices in salted water for about 5-10 minutes or until they start to become tender. Drain and let them cool.

2. Take each fennel slice and lay it open on a cutting board; place a slice of cheese and one of cooked ham on half of the slices.

3. Cover with the remaining fennel slices, pressing down gently to adhere the fennel “cordon bleu”.

4. In two different plates, prepare the flour and the bread crumbs. Beat the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper.

5. Dip the fennel cordon bleu first in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in bread crumbs, making sure the coating sticks well.

6. Heat plenty of oil in a frying pan and once hot, fry the fennel cordon bleu until they turn golden brown on both sides.

7. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil and serve hot.

For an even more Italian note, you could serve these Fennel Cordon Bleu with a marinara sauce for dipping, enriching the dish with the flavors of tomato and Italian aromatic herbs.

Curiosity

The traditional Cordon Bleu originates from French cuisine, but the name is also associated with prestigious cooking schools. Its vegetarian version with fennel is less common but represents a tasty alternative for those looking for a different way to enjoy this dish.