Ed gives peas a chance
IT’S hardly surprising that crepe cakes are found in so many of the world’s cultures. After all, this is the cake you can still make when you don’t have access to an oven.
They run the gamut from fancy French layered confections doused in vanilla and rum to the Austrian and Hungarian versions that feature apple, walnuts or poppy seeds.
In Central Asia buckwheat crepes are layered with dried fruits and pistachios. Vietnamese pastry chefs fashion them with mango, durian and lychees. Every new version is more delicious than the last.
Yet while the idea of this dish usually adheres to a dessert orientation, a little creativity can work wonders. And so, in a fit of zealous experimentation, I decided to fashion a savoury crepe cake to work as the perfect entree course for an elegant dinner party.
Remember, there’s quite a bit of time involved in cooking crepes, so it seemed important to give the crepes a bigger hit of flavour. I began by strewing them with herbs, however this seemed a little too obvious, and left behind a coarse texture that wasn’t quite right. Instead, I decided to re-imagine the basis of the crepe itself.
Replacing some of the flour with pureed peas was just the trick I needed, delivering a hit of taste and a delicate, almost waxy texture that perfectly matches a creamy mascarpone-rich layer in between.
Finding the right balance in this recipe was a bit of hit and miss. Eventually, a one-to-one ratio of vegetable to flour proved perfect. Since then I have adapted this idea to a range of other vegetables with equal success, including roasted capsicums, lentils and even grilled eggplant. A whole new world of healthy and interesting vegetarian ideas awaits. Ingredients Caster sugar, to dust 25g butter 2 tablespoons plain flour 1 tablespoon cornflour 250ml (1 cup) milk 70g cup) caster sugar 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon rind, finely grated 4 eggs, at room temperature, separated Icing sugar, to dust 1. Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan-forced. Place a baking tray in the oven. Grease four 250ml (1 cup) ovenproof souffle dishes with melted butter. Lightly dust with caster sugar. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add flour and cornflour. 2. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until mixture begins to foam. Remove from heat. Gradually pour in half the milk, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk until smooth. Gradually add remaining milk, whisking until smooth and combined. Stir in cup sugar. 3. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 3-4 minutes or until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice and rind until well combined. Whisk in the yolks. 4. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites in a separate clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar and whisk until thick and glossy. 5. Add one-quarter of the egg white mixture to the lemon mixture. Use a large metal spoon to fold together until just combined. Add the remaining egg white to the mixture. Fold together until just combined. 6. Spoon into prepared dishes. Run your finger around the inside rim of the dish. Place souffle on preheated tray. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffed and just set. Dust with icing sugar. Serve immediately. Recipe by Michelle Southan Photo by Jeremy Simons