Savory crepes?

Hello, all,

I wanted to expand on a theme first visited on New Year's Eve, when our group of friends cooked dessert crepes (and snarfed them up very quickly). Fabulous stuff: we started with Alton Brown's sweet crepes, and used a variety of fillings: lemon curd, bananas sauteed in caramel and rum sauce, macerated strawberries, and topped them with freshly whipped cream and/or chocolate syrup. It was so well-received that we decided to have our next party as an all-crepe affair. Obviously, we have the sweet side covered, but what to offer on the savory side?

Some sort of duck dish should be on the menu--our Costco offers up pre-roasted duck that can be readily shredded and sauced (and the husband and cats are devoted to duck). Beef is always a favorite (the NYE menu invariably includes a whole tenderloin), as are shellfish (particularly shrimp and scallops). We have two full-blown meat-atarians (one adult and one teen), but otherwise a fairly adventurous crowd in terms of flavors and cuisines. We're Mid-Atlantic, so it's still too early for good local produce. Ideas?

Melinda

Melinda,

I have had great luck with duck and goat cheese empanadas. Would that filling work in a crepe? I can post the specific recipe if you would like me to do so.

By the way, welcome to the board. Your name sounds somewhat familiar. Are you part of the Yaniger tribe by any chance?

*Edited for clarification

Yes to both queries. I've been off the board for a good while, what with one thing and another, but the recent gathering of the immediate Yaniger clan (oh, trust me, Stuart will be blogging this one for years) pushed me back over here.

Duck and goat cheese sounds like a winner!

Hi Melinda and welcome to the forum!

YUM...crepes! Sounds like it will be a great party. I know you said that your produce isn't great right now...but how a mushroom filling? You could use cremini mushrooms and reconstitute some dried varieties...add some white wine and cream. Or instead of white wine you could use a medium sherry to add a touch of sweetness and nuttiness.

Please let us know how it goes.

Years ago I made crepes de la mare. I've been thinking about making them again. I have the recipe here someplace and will try to find it. I believe they are stuffed with shrimp and crab. The crepe itself is different than a dessert crepe.

I'll bet you can get greens.

I like to use chard for crepe stuffing: De-rib and chop the ribs. Sautee them with some onions, then after they soften add the chopped greens and some salt/pepper. Sautee a bit more, deglaze with marsala, add some raisins, pine-nuts, and a few grinds of nutmeg and pepper, then cover/cook until tender. Add a bit of broth now and then if it looks dry. Some grated mizithra or other dry, sharp sheep cheese added at the end can be a nice touch.

I also enthusiastically second Maria's suggestion. Mushrooms in a gravy are perfect; the stuffing for my morels en croute (at The Stupids' cobweb site) could work just fine.

Melinda, I believe that this would rock in crepes.
rwj

Mushroom Ragout

1 ounce Dried Porcini Mushrooms
2 cups Boiling Water
2 Tbsp EVOO
2 Shallots, minced
4 Garlic cloves, minced
1 # Button Mushrooms, slice 1/2 " thick
1 # Wild Mushrooms (oyster, chantrelle, shitake, etc.)
Salt
1 Tbsp. All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup fruity Red Wine
2 tsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
2 tsp. Fresh Sage, chopped
Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes. Place a strainer lined with cheesecloth over a bowl and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the juices out of the mushrooms. Rinse the mushrooms, away from the bowl with the soaking liquid, until they are free of sand (you may not need to do this step, use your best judgment). Squeeze dry and chop if they are large. Reserve the soaking liquid.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat (this is bullshit; use high heat and cook like a pro) and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add half the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, then add the button mushrooms, wild mushrooms, and about 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms begin to soften and exude their juices, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and continue cooking until the mushrooms have softened and you can no longer see the flour, about 2 minutes. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms and the wine and turn the heat to high (if it is not already there). Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the remaining garlic, rosemary, sage, and the porcini liquid. Stir together and test for salt. Bring to a simmer (now you can lower the heat if you have been cooking like a pro all this time) and cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the surrounding liquid is thick and gravy-like, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in some black pepper and taste for salt again. Serve hot or warm.

Melinda, here is a recipe a friend of mine on a food discussion list uses to good reviews.

Servings: Makes 12 crêpes, serving 6 as a lunch main course.

For crêpes
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil for brushing pan

For filling
6 slices bacon
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Preparation
Make crêpes:
In a bowl whisk together egg, milk, butter, and parsley until combined well. Add flour, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth.

Heat a 6- to 8-inch crepe pan over moderately high heat until hot. Brush pan with oil and heat until hot but not smoking. Remove pan from heat. Stir batter and half fill a 1/4-cup measure with it. Pour batter into pan, tilting and rotating pan quickly to cover bottom with a thin layer of batter, and return any excess to bowl. Return pan to heat and loosen edge of crêpe with a spatula. Cook crêpe until underside is lightly browned. Turn crêpe and lightly brown other side. Transfer crêpe to a plate. Make more crêpes with remaining batter, brushing pan lightly with oil as necessary. (Crêpes may be made 1 day in ahead and chilled, stacked and wrapped well in plastic wrap.)

Make filling:
In a large heavy skillet cook bacon over moderately high heat until crisp and transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and chop bacon. To fat remaining in skillet add mushrooms and 1 tablespoon butter and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

Preheat oven to 200°F..

In a heavy saucepan melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter over moderately high heat and whisk in flour. Cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk gradually, whisking constantly, and cook. stirring, occasionally, 5 minutes or until thickened and smooth. Add mushrooms, cream, parsley, bacon, salt and pepper to taste and simmer 10 minutes, or until very thick. Cool filling slightly.

Spread each crêpe with about 1/4 cup filling and fold in quarters, transferring crêpes as filled to an ovenproof platter. Heat crêpes in oven until heated through.

Someone I know just had a catered baby shower this weekend. They served spinach, sun-dried tomato, and red onion crepes in a light cream sauce that everyone swooned over. She's trying to get the recipe from the caterers. If she succeeds, I'll post it. But something like that should be easy to just make up.