Crepes are endlessly versatile
Fill them with sliced salmon or stuff them with peanut butter
When cookbook author Pam Anderson and her husband, a minister, moved to a new community, they decided to host an open house on two consecutive nights. By the time all the RSVPs were in, nearly 250 people were expected.
Most of us would panic, but not Anderson. Needing an inexpensive, do-ahead dish that was substantial enough for a meal yet light enough for those just dropping in, she settled on chicken-mushroom crepes. She purchased 500 crepes at the supermarket (look for them in the produce section or freezer case) and made her own filling. Her recipe is perfect for Easter brunch or lunch or as a light dinner when do-ahead is crucial.
Savoury crepes are endlessly versatile. Fill them with thinly sliced smoked salmon and crème fraîche, sprinkle with lemon zest and capers, and serve as an easy appetizer. Or roll them around leftover Easter ham and Swiss cheese and top with béchamel sauce for a simple supper.
Sweet crepes belong in your repertoire, too. Chocolate crepes filled with frangipane (almond cream) and sided with strawberries were always a hit at my Granville Island Public Market cooking classes. For kids, spread them with peanut butter and top with sliced strawberries and bananas. To serve, it’s fun to fold a crepe in half, then half again to form a pie-shaped wedge. Fold the crepe once more and spoon a warm berry compote over top. Serve 2 crepes per person with a dollop of whipped cream. Chicken-Mushroom Crepes For a vegetarian version, omit the chicken, double the mushrooms, use vegetable broth and substitute olive oil for butter. Leftover filled crepes may be frozen. Reheat on a baking sheet in a 300-degree oven. (Adapted from Perfect Recipes for Having People Over by Pam Anderson, Houghton Mifflin, 2005.)
Crepe Batter
Serves: 12
1 cup (250 mL) whole milk
4 large eggs
1 ¼ cups (300 mL) quick-blending flour, such as Robin Hood
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
3 tbsp (45 mL) vegetable or lightly flavoured olive oil, plus extra for the pan Chicken-Mushroom Filling
4 cups shredded cooked chicken 4 tablespoons (60 mL) olive oil (divided use)
2 medium-large onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 lb medium brown or white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 qt (1 L) whole milk
2 cups (500 ml) chicken broth (Better Than Bouillon chicken base) 4 tbsp (60 mL) butter
½ cup (125 mL) all-purpose flour 1 tsp (5 mL) thyme
¾ cup (180 mL) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup (125 mL) minced fresh parsley
Combine all the batter ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute. (Or whisk by hand.)
Heat an 8-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. With a paper towel, rub the pan with oil. Add 3 tbsp (45 mL) crepe batter and quickly tilt the pan to distribute the batter evenly over the bottom. Pour any excess back into the bowl. Cook until the crepe bottom is spotty brown, about 30 seconds. Flip crepe and cook the second side until lightly browned, 10-15 seconds. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining batter, oiling the pan as needed and stacking the crepes.
To make the filling, place chicken in a large bowl; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté onions until golden brown, 8-10 minutes; add to chicken. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons (30 mL) oil in the same pan and sauté mushrooms until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Add to chicken; season mixture with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, combine milk and chicken broth in a microwave-safe bowl (or slowly heat in a large saucepan) until very hot but not boiling, about 10 minutes.
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and thyme. Gradually add hot milk mixture, whisking until smooth. Bring to a simmer, whisking, until mixture is the texture of thick cream soup. Stir in cheese. Stir 1½ cups sauce into chicken mixture and adjust seasonings. Heat oven to 325 degrees F. To finish crepes, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with 1 crepe at a time, spread about ¼ cup (60 mL) filling across bottom half, roll into a fairly tight cylinder and set on prepared pan. Bake crepes, uncovered, until golden, 15-20 minutes. Warm remaining sauce to piping hot, thinning with milk if necessary. Stir in parsley. Spoon over crepes and serve.
Chocolate Crepes
This family favourite makes a great brunch dish or dessert.
Makes: 16-18 crepes
¾ cup (180 mL) flour
5 tbsp (90 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup (75 mL) sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
2 eggs
1 cup (250 mL) whole milk
½ cup (125 mL) light cream
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
In a food processor, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and eggs and pulse 4 times. With machine running, add milk, cream and vanilla, and process until smooth. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat a lightly greased 6- or 8-inch skillet until hot but not smoking. (If you have a crepe maker, use that.) Add 2 tbsp (30 mL) batter and quickly tilt the pan to distribute the batter evenly over the bottom. Brown on one side and invert pan over paper towels. Repeat until all batter is used. Serve warm. Crepes may be refrigerated or frozen and reheated in a low oven.