Classic Folded Crêpes with Lemon Sugar and Fresh Lemon Wedges

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."Bring out your dead." The line comes from Monty Python and the Holy Grail and it popped into my head in the doctor's office this morning. Plague Flu has hit our community with a vengeance and there wasn't an empty chair in the waiting room of his large practice. I, alas, occupied one of the chairs. Flu had not felled me, but bronchitis claimed me for its own. I'll be fine in a couple of days, but I plan to take things easy, so I hope you won't be disappointed with a few days of really simple recipes. As it happens, the dessert I'm featuring tonight is one of my all-time favorites and it certainly falls into that really simple category. I normally make the crêpes myself and I am including the recipe I use for them in tonight's post, but, truth be told, I used the store-bought variety for our dessert this evening. If you decide to try the crêpes using a commercial variety, you will still want to take a look at the recipe, which contains instructions for filling and folding them. If you have 8 large crepes on hand you can call this dish your own, and, interestingly enough, a few spoonfuls of lemon sugar and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice will produce a dessert even sophisticated guests will love. I make lemon sugar by stirring the finely grated zest of one large lemon into two cups of sugar. I store it in a mason jar on my pantry shelf and use it for tea as well as desserts. The third required element for this dessert is a quantity of lemon wedges whose juice is squeezed over still warm crêpes. You'll have to try this treat in order to understand why I hold it in such high regard. The crêpes are spare, simple and scrumptious and I know those of you who try them will love them as much as I do. It is best to serve them warm. Here's how they are made.

Classic Folded Crêpes with Lemon Sugar and Fresh Lemon Wedges...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup (5 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sugar, plus 8 teaspoons lemon sugar for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1-1/2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:
1) Place oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet and heat over low heat for at least 10 minutes.
2) While skillet is heating, whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt in medium bowl. In separate bowl, whisk together milk and eggs. Add half of milk mixture to dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add butter and whisk until incorporated. Whisk in remaining milk mixture until smooth.
3) Using paper towel, wipe out skillet, leaving thin film of oil on bottom and sides. Increase heat to medium and let skillet heat for 1 minute. After 1 minute, test heat of skillet by placing 1 teaspoon batter in center and cook for 20 seconds. If mini crêpe is golden brown on bottom, skillet is properly heated; if it is too light or too dark, adjust heat accordingly and retest.
4) Pour 1/4 cup batter into far side of pan and tilt and shake gently until batter evenly covers bottom of pan. Cook crêpe without moving it until top surface is dry and crêpe starts to brown at edges, loosening crêpe from side of pan with rubber spatula, about 25 seconds. Gently slide spatula underneath edge of crêpe, grasp edge with fingertips, and flip crêpe. Cook until second side is lightly spotted, about 20 seconds. Transfer cooked crêpe to wire rack, inverting so spotted side is facing up. Return pan to heat and heat for 10 seconds before repeating with remaining batter. As crêpes are done, stack on wire rack.
5) Transfer stack of crêpes to large microwave-safe plate and invert second plate over crêpes. Microwave on high power until crêpes are warm, 30 to 45 seconds (45 to 60 seconds if crêpes have cooled completely). Remove top plate and wipe dry with paper towel. Sprinkle upper half of top crêpe with 1 teaspoon sugar. Fold unsugared bottom half over sugared half, then fold into quarters. Transfer sugared crêpe to second plate. Continue with remaining crêpes. Serve immediately, passing lemon wedges separately. Yield: 8 crêpes - 4 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Bang Bang Chicken

Two Years Ago Today: Soft Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

Three Years Ago Today: Chocolate Peppermint Pie

Fast, Fresh and Figure Friendly Summer Vegetable Crepes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Before I get to today's recipe I wanted to note the passing of Nora Ephron, a wise, witty and intelligent woman who was the creative force that brought the movie Julie and Julia to life. Nora was a champion of women, and rather than search for words to honor her, I thought I'd use some of her own words to capture the sense of who she was. She will be missed.

Speaking at a commencement exercise: "Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady," Ephron told Wellesley's Class of 1996 in a commencement speech. "I hope you will find some way to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women."

When asked about mortality: "You do get to a certain point in life where you have to realistically, I think, understand that the days are getting shorter, and you can't put things off thinking you'll get to them someday. If you really want to do them, you better do them. There are simply too many people getting sick, and sooner or later you will too. So I'm very much a believer in knowing what it is that you love doing so you can do a great deal of it."

Today's recipe is for an unusual crêpe that uses summer vegetables and herbs. They are served cold, and are very easy to prepare, especially if you use the "ready-to-use" crêpes that can be found in the grocery store. They are also figure friendly and manage to cut calories without sacrificing flavor. The recipe was first published in Eating Well magazine and you can find nutritional information for them here. I think those of you who try these will really be pleased. Here's the recipe.

Vegetable Crepes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients:

Sauce

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives, divided, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

Filling

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped zucchini
1-1/4 cups chopped green beans
1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 9-inch “ready-to-use” crêpes

Directions:
1) To make sauce: Stir sour cream, 1/4 cup chives, milk, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
2) To make filling: Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, green beans and corn and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in ricotta, Monterey Jack, remaining 1/4 cup chives, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
3) To make crepes: Place one crêpe on a piece of parchment or wax paper (or leave it on piece of plastic separating crêpes in package). Spoon one-fourth of vegetable-cheese mixture (about 3/4 cup) down center of crêpe. Use the paper (or plastic) to help you gently roll crêpe around filling. Place crêpe seam-side down on a dinner plate. Repeat with remaining crêpes and filling. Serve each crêpe topped with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce and more chives, if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Cook's Note: Ready-to-use” crèpes are fast and convenient. Look for them in the produce section of the market or near refrigerated tortillas.

One Year Ago Today: Blueberry Cream Squares

Two Years Ago Today: Baba Ganoush

Three Years Ago Today: Blue Corn Muffins

Bob's Blueberry Blintzes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...When the Silver Fox and I first had children, we agreed not to call each other Mom or Dad. Father's Day was always a celebration planned and executed by the kids and that worked wonderfully well until we all scattered across the country. Now, while there are still telephone calls and silly cards, the celebration has become very low key. I've taken to preparing one or two of his favorite dishes to make the day a bit more special, but that is usually the extent of the celebration here. His request this year was for blueberry blintzes and Korean barbecue chicken. I want to share both recipes with you, but we'll only touch on one tonight. I'm not usually fond of my own recipes, but this one is special and it is an exception. I love it for lots of reasons. While it requires some effort to prepare, it is a great way to feed a crowd. The recipe can be doubled or tripled if you are so inclined, and it is a marvelous addition to a brunch buffet or special breakfast. There are three basic steps to the blintzes and they can be executed in stages that make the dish quite easy to prepare. The most difficult is the preparation of the crepes. If that is off-putting to you, buy crepes in the supermarket and carry on with the rest of the recipe. If you plan to make them, remember that your batter should be about as thick as heavy cream. Additional water or flour can be added to reach that consistency if needs be. If you want tender crepes, let the batter sit for at least two hours before cooking. The resting time allows the flour to absorb the liquid and the foam to dissipate. Cover and refrigerate the batter if it is to sit for longer than 1 hour. The filling and the blueberry sauce are really easy to do and you'll have no problem with either of them. The sauce used in this recipe is exceptional and it still makes my socks go up and down. I know those of you who try this recipe will be delighted with the result. Here's how the blintzes are made.

Blueberry Blintzes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite
Ingredients:

Crepes

1-1/2 cups 2% milk
3 eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling

1 cup (8 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
1 package (3 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blueberry Sauce

1 cup water
1/2 to 1 cup sugar
2 cups frozen unsweetened mixed berries
1/2 cup port wine or grape juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups fresh or frozen thawed blueberries

Directions:
1) To make crepes: Combine milk, eggs and butter in a small bowl. Combine flour and
salt and add to milk mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Heat a lightly greased 8-inch nonstick skillet. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter into center of skillet and lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom of pan. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between. Wrap in plastic wrap or foil. Refrigerate.
2) To make filling: Process cottage cheese in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and add mascarpone cheese. Beat until smooth. Beat in sugar, orange zest and vanilla.
3) To make sauce: Bring water and sugar to a boil. Add frozen berries and wine or juice; return to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes. Mash and strain berries, reserving juice. Return juice to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until mixture is reduced to 1 cup. Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and mix until smooth. Stir into blueberry sauce and bring to a boil. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Fold in berries. Set aside.
4) To assemble and cook: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread about 1 rounded tablespoonful onto each crepe. Fold left side of crepe over filling. Fold bottom side up and top side down to encase filling. Finally, bring right side of crepe to center, forming a small package. Place seam side down in a greased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan. Bake for about 10 minute, or until heated through.
5) To serve: Place 2 warm blintzes on each of 8 dessert plates. Top with warm blueberry sauce and serve. Yield: 8 servings.
 
This post is being  linked to Stone Gable's On the Menu Monday feature.







One Year Ago Today: Linguine with Peas, Garlic and Ricotta Salata















Two Years Ago Today: Southwestern Cilantro Rice Salad
















Three Years Ago Today: Ultimate Cheater's Pulled Pork

Socca (Farinata) - Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I suspect that many of you are already familiar with socca, the warm and savory crepe sold by street vendors in Nice and Liguria. While made from identical ingredients, Ligurians refer to the chickpea pizza they share with the French as farinata. Whatever you choose to call them, these large ungainly pancakes are addictive. They've also shed their working class image and, with newfound cache, are now attracting more sophisticated eaters to their ranks of devotees. While they're usually eaten out of hand, they are also wonderful when served as an accompaniment to drinks or with a light salad. Because they are baked, socca are easier to make than standard crepes or pancakes. They contain just four ingredients and are oven ready as soon as the batter has been mixed. So why aren't more people eating them? Not everyone has access to chickpea flour, and among those who do, there is an impatience that demands instantly perfect results. That rarely happens with socca. You have to experiment with timing and consistency and that can be frustrating. You probably won't want to photograph your first attempts with these pancakes, but your results will be wonderfully edible. Experts debate the correct ratio of water to flour. Most favored is the one-to-one ratio that is featured in Mark Bittman's recipe, which you can find here. I prefer the two-to-one ratio, and, by default, the recipe developed by Patricia Wells because I like thin socca. Whichever recipe you use, be forewarned that you'll need a skillet that is ovenproof and at least 12-inches in diameter. I actually use a 15-inch paella pan to cook mine. The socca should be served warm from the oven with a light sprinkling of sea salt and a good grind of black pepper. It should be thick and moist enough to fold and it can be cut or torn into serving sized portions. I really think you'll this and, if you have never had socca, I hope you'll give it a try. Here's the recipe.

Socca (Farinata)...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Patricia Wells

Ingredients:
2/3 cup chick pea flour
1-1/3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Center a rack in oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2) In a bowl, whisk together flour, water, salt, and 2 tablespoons of oil to form a thin crepe-like batter.
3) Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into a large (12 to 15-inch) pan and brush to evenly distribute oil. Place oiled pan in the oven and heat for 5 minutes.
4) Remove pan from the oven. Pour batter into the pan, swirling to evenly distribute batter. Return pan to oven and bake until socca is bubbly, colored a deep golden brown and evenly dotted with little crater-like holes, about 18 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle generously with the pepper and coarse salt. Use a metal scraper to scrape the crepe into raggedly shards. Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Herbed Almond Crackers - Eat Real
Crispy Rosemary Asiago Flatbread - The Spiced Life
Parmesan and Thyme Crackers - Brown Eyed Baker
Mushroom Socca Stacks - Lisa is Cooking
Whole Wheat Pita Chips - Dishing Up Delights
Susan: Easy Rosemary Focaccia Flatbread - A Year in Bread

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Crepes with Hot Buttered Rum Sauce

The worst of the weather is over, but our driveway is coated with ice and that means we're marooned on our hillside for the evening. Ah, well! It's a perfect night for a fireside supper, so there's a pot of onion soup on the stove and Portuguese bread in the oven. I'm tending to a rum sauce while my crepe batter rests. I thought I had a stack of crepes in the freezer but they're nowhere to be found, so I'm here, last minute, making a batch for dessert. This is a lovely treat for family and close friends. It's not hard to do - the component parts take time to prepare, but I promise the end result will be worthy of your effort. The crepes are great for cold winter nights and, if you're so inclined, give them a place of honor on your Fat Tuesday table. They can be sauced as you please.

Crepes with Hot Buttered Rum Sauce

Ingredients:
1 cup + 2 tablespoons instant blend flour (i.e. Wondra)
5 tablespoons superfine sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup water
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, divided
1 cup + 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup dark Jamaican rum
Butter flavored nonstick cooking spray
Garnish:
1 cup whipping cream or vanilla ice cream

Directions:
1) Combine flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 2-quart mixing bowl. Combine milk, water, egg yolks, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 5 tablespoons melted butter in a 1-quart mixing bowl. Gradually beat liquids into flour with a whisk or wooden spoon. Blend well but do not over beat. Let sit for 30 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, combine remaining 1 cup butter, brown sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a heavy bottomed 2-quart saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Use a small funnel to transfer sauce into a plastic squeeze bottle. Place bottle in a pan of warm water.
3) For each crepe, lightly mist an 8-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Set pan over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Remove pan from heat. Pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into pan; rapidly tilt to coat bottom of pan with batter. Cook for about 1 minute, or until crepe loosens from bottom of pan. Flip crepe and cook for 1/2 minute longer. Transfer to a plate. Repeat process until all batter is used.
4) Crepes can be assembled 1 to 2 hours before serving. To assemble, spread about 2 teaspoons rum sauce on a salad-size plate. Place a crepe, best side down, on plate. Spread topside with 2 teaspoons rum sauce. Fold crepe in half, then in half again to form a wedge shape. Place on a rimmed microwavable serving platter. Repeat process for each crepe, overlapping slightly to form a spiral pattern. Set aside.
5) When ready to serve, if using whipping cream place cream, place reserved 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a chilled 1-quart bowl; beat until soft peaks form. Transfer to a serving bowl. Place crepe platter in microwave and cook on HIGH power for 20 seconds. Remove from oven. For each serving, transfer 2 to 3 crepes to an individual dessert plate; drizzle with additional rum sauce and garnish with a dollop of cream or a scoop of ice cream. Yield: 16 to 18 crepes.