Bundle of Joy Crepes Serves 8 Celebrate the holidays with these delicate buckwheat crepes filled with tender vegetables and served with a fresh tangerine-ginger sauce.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Filling:
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon shallot, minced
4 ounces spinach leaves, cleaned and stemmed
4 ounces carrots, julienned
8 long chives for garnish
Crepes:
2 eggs
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
Sauce:
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon shallot, minced
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon arrowroot
To make filling:
Sauté mushrooms briefly in canola oil with ginger and shallot. Steam spinach until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Steam carrots just until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Set vegetables aside in separate dishes.
To make crepes:
Beat together milk and eggs in a mixing bowl. Add flours and salt. Stir in cooled, melted butter at end of mixing. Let rest 1 hour before making crepes. Brush an 8-inch skillet or crepe pan with oil and heat until water dances on the surface. Pour in about 1/4 cup of crepe batter, lifting and tilting the pan so the bottom is completely covered by batter. Cook each crepe on one side only, about 2 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Turn crepe out of the pan, cooked side up, onto a platter. Repeat with remaining batter.
To make the sauce:
Combine all ingredients except arrowroot in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Make a paste of the arrowroot and 2 teaspoons of water and add it to the simmering sauce. Whisk well. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Strain and keep warm.
To assemble the bundles:
1. Lay crepe out on a flat surface. Lay some of the shiitakes, spinach and carrot sticks in the center of the crepe with the lengths of the vegetables going in the same direction and making a 1-inch x 3-inch rectangle. Fold the crepe around the bundle of vegetables burrito style. Tie with a chive around the middle. Repeat with remaining crepes and vegetables.
2. Place bundles seam side down on a lightly oiled baking sheet and heat in a 400°F oven 3 to 4 minutes. For each serving, place 2 tablespoons of the sauce in the middle of a plate. Swirl to make sauce cover entire plate. Place a warm bundle in the center of the plate on top of the sauce. Serve immediately.
