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Crepes: A Sweet, A Savory, and an idea for a Flambé’
First you need a good pan. I don’t own any Teflon-coated pans. I think they are harmful to humans, plus if you use butter or a non-stick spray you really don’t need them. The pan I use is a camp pan. I bought it when I was a teenager and went camping a lot. It’s one of those graniteware pieces. You know the navy blue with white speckles. It works great for eggs and crepes. In fact, it is the only skillet I can do eggs in correctly.
To do the crepes (pronounced crep, as in crept with a silent "t"…no long “a” sound, that’s a fabric) you need to prep your filling so they are ready to use as soon as the crepe is cooked. The recipe makes 4-8” crepes. You can easily double it.
Sweet Crepes
You will need a container of frozen strawberries, thawed and whipped cream. I add a ¼ teaspoon of vanilla to the crepe batter to add a mysterious under flavor. A maraschino cherry on top is a nice touch too.
Savory Crepes
You need two thin slices deli ham and two pieces asparagus (I use frozen asparagus, thawed, and zapped in the microwave.) and a good cheese, either sharp cheddar or a mild Colby is terrific.
Here’s the basic crepe batter:
Whisk together 1 egg and ¾ cup milk. Add a shake of salt. Now add ½ cup flour while whisking it into the wet mixture.
Add 2 tablespoons butter to your skillet. Let it melt.
Pour ¼ of the batter into the hot skillet. Twirl the skillet so the batter fills the pan, almost to the very edge. Cook until lightly browned. Flip.
For the sweet add two tablespoons of strawberries. For the savory, add the ham and the asparagus spears.
Fill the crepe closed, either in half, or you can flip both sides to the center.
For the sweet, garnish with whipped cream. For the savory, add shredded cheese, and zap in the microwave for a minute to melt. Serve immediately.
The whole process of crepe-making and serving is very fast.
My last idea is for a flambé’. I haven’t tried this yet, but it just popped in my mind as a beautiful presentation for a lover in front of the fireplace. Simmer some fresh-cut peaches in a bit of brown sugar and butter. Have an orange-flavored liqueur on hand; Cointreau would be excellent. Now make the crepe. Add the peach filling, splash it with Cointreau, and ignite in front of your lover. Extinguish by flipping the crepe in half. Dash with a bit of whipped cream. Have two forks ready. Enjoy.
