Since it was such a long time before I got cracking on these crepes, this is going to be a very detailed account of a very detailed recipe. Which means mostly pictures. For some reason, when we decided to make crepes, I got the thought to do mushroom and pear... no idea where it came from. But awkward as the pairing seemed to me at first, I realized that they both go great with the same things-- parmesan and endive. So these are crepes with endive, mushroom, bosc pear, watercress, and parmesan cream sauce. And they are delicious.
Crepes with mushrooms, endive, pear, watercress, and cream sauce
Next were the mushrooms. I used a mixture of shiitake, oyster, and crimini. These I baked-- which I thought was kind of a no-no when it came to mushrooms, but it turns out I prefered the texture over any other cooking method-- with oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. In the meantime, I started on the crepes.
The ingredients were just so lovely that I had to take their picture. Those are organic brown eggs and almond flour- with skins!
Almond Flour Crepes
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp melted butter
Mix all ingredients well, making sure the butter is not warm enough to scramble the eggs. Let sit at least 30 minutes. (This allows the flour to absorb more of the mixture, giving the batter more elasticity and making it easier to work with. Although apparently it makes no difference in the final texture.)
On medium heat in an oiled pan, spread a few tablespoons of batter and cook unti the top is no longer liquid- flip carefully, and cook until the bottom is browned.
I found that the almond flour, although delicious, was of such a coarse texture that rolling these crepes was almost impossible- they had no flexibility, and just broke. They were also thicker than they should be. I think they would do much better if eaten flat like pancakes, or in layers.
This was the watercress, which I haven't had in a very many years (comparatively speaking) and found that I love. But I'll definitely forget all about it again. It has a very peppery, grassy flavor, with a delightfully delicate crunch. The next component was bosc pear- I thought it would work well because it is such a sturdy variety of pear and has a flavor that can stand up for itself- I didn't want any mushy bartletts in there. And then, finally, it was all topped off with a cream sauce.
Parmesan Peppercorn Cream Sauce
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
- salt, freshly ground peppercorns, and rosemary, to taste
Heat the cream on medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for a few minutes. Add the cheese and continue to stir constantly, until melted. Add spices to taste. Serve hot.
This went very well with a book on Flemish arcitechture. Of course.
--Pam