By Angela Denstad Stigeler
Time and again as winter trudges along, my tastebuds begin to grow a little weary of slow-braised roasts and hearty stews, as if there’s only so much culinary comfort one can stand. A first-world problem, to be sure, about which I’m fortunate to be able to complain. But nevertheless, somewhere along midwinter, I find it’s time for a break from the usual cold weather fare. I look for something to shake up the routine and spice up my seemingly somnambulant and over-saturated palate.
Fortunately, it’s also this time of year when I recall there are culturally enshrined traditions that address midwinter restlessness, like that wild-and-crazy Tuesday which precedes the season of Lent. In the Anglican tradition, people throw all caution to the wind: When it’s time for their evening meal, they serve pancakes instead!
Or perhaps you were expecting something more surprising than breakfast for dinner? There’s also the more colorful tradition of the Mardi Gras carnival in New Orleans, for instance. We could take a cue from their mantra: Laissez les bon temps rouler.
Actually, the recipe I have in mind is the perfect bridge between these seeming extremes. Consider — it can be served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert; it can be frugal, festive, or fancy; it can be filled, stacked, folded, or rolled. It’s even French.
So, let’s make crêpes and let the good times roll!
First, a bit about the basic recipe. Although often described as a French pancake, I find the comparison misleading. Crêpe batter contains similar ingredients to what you’d whip up for your basic short stack, but with a couple of very notable exceptions: it contains no chemical leavening (i.e. baking soda or baking powder), and the batter is as thin as the resulting crêpes. In fact, they’re the antithesis of fluffy skillet cakes, and that is their point. With proportionally more egg and milk than pancakes, crêpes are both rich and light, delicate yet pliable, the perfect vessels to carry sweet or savory flavors. They’re delicious served with the simplest of sauces or wrapped around the most extravagant fillings. They can be made ahead, served hot or cold, and presented in any number of ways.
If you follow Julia Child’s teachings on the matter, you’ll learn that a crêpe has a public and private side, as well. The batter that’s first swirled in the pan will cook more evenly; the flip side will only ever be spotty brown at best — which is why you fold it inward or slather it with something yummy.
Now, about those fillings!
To keep your crêpes simple and sweet, you can spread them with butter and jam, drizzle with maple syrup or honey, or sprinkle them with sugar and a squeeze of lemon. For a more substantial breakfast, try them with fruit and yogurt, or spread them with Nutella topped with sliced bananas and toasted nuts. For something a little fancier, fill them with whipped cream and berries.
You can stack up several rounds of crêpes with any fruit filling to create a sliceable, shareable cake. Or nestle them into a warm skillet full of flavorful compound butter, douse them with liquor, and set the dish aflame, as in the famous Crêpes Suzette. And don’t forget the ice cream! If flambé is not your style, you can always create a crêpe-based ice cream sundae.
On the savory side, you can start with a simple ham and cheese roll, or any number of savory sandwich spreads. Fold smoked salmon into whipped cream cheese with lemon and capers, spread it on thick, and fold into triangles. Roll a crêpe around some scrambled eggs with sauteed mushrooms and truffle oil for a luxuriant filling. Or create a savory crêpe cake with multiple layers ranging from creamed spinach to chicken liver pâté. For something more humble, just wrap up whatever leftover meat you may have with a quick milk gravy to pull it together. Or, if you’re feeling New Orleans, fill your crêpes with some shrimp and rémoulade at any time of day or night.
To bring things full-circle, the point here is, of course, that when you find yourself stuck in a rut, look for something new or fun to help you change course. And whether it’s a first, main, or dessert course, a crêpe is always a good go-around.
About the author: Angela works as a copywriter in the education sector and has dabbled in various culinary pursuits. She was the author of The Caledonia Argus’ long-standing weekly food column Thyme Out with Angela and is happy to now join the rotation of food writers with the Fillmore County Journal.
All-Purpose Crêpes
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
¾ cup milk
¾ cup water*
4 tablespoons butter
In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and break in the eggs. Combine the milk and water (if using) and add ½ cup of the milk mixture. Gently whisk the eggs and milk, gradually incorporating the flour. Slowly whisk in the remaining milk to make a smooth batter. Let the batter rest, covered, for an hour, or refrigerate for longer storage, even a day in advance.
Melt the butter in an 8-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan to coat with butter, then pour the rest into a small bowl. Whisk about half of the melted butter (2 tablespoons) into the crêpe batter. Reserve the rest (and call for reinforcements if necessary!) greasing the pan between crêpes.
Increase the heat to medium high and pour a scant quarter cup of batter into the skillet, immediately tilting and swirling the pan to evenly — and very thinly — coat the base of the pan. Cook until the edges start to brown, no more than a minute. Loosen the crêpe and flip it over using any method that works for you: skillet flip, spatula, a careful grab with your fingers. Cook the second side until spotty brown, another half a minute or so. Slide the crêpe out onto a plate or baking sheet and repeat the process with the rest of the batter.
Storing crêpes: Spread out the cooked crêpes on a baking sheet, or place sheets of parchment paper between them, to prevent them from sticking together as they cool. Keep them covered with a clean kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out. Once they’re cool, you can stack and store them in an airtight container. If you do find yourself with a large stack of stuck-together crêpes, set the plate of them over a pot of boiling water for a few minutes to warm; you should then be able to carefully peel them apart.
*For thinner crêpes, and to respect Julia Child’s classic recipe, one is supposed to use equal measures milk and water. I, personally, prefer to use all whole milk — hold the water. Sorry, Julia.
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