Making crepes is so fun! Cooking the crepes is awesome and the smell of the fruit stewing is intoxicating. Frozen berries are great for this recipe too--that saves you the trouble of pulling the leaves and stems off the strawberries. You can make the crepes a day before, but if you don't just make sure you let everything chill in the fridge for a few hours. This allows the wrapes to get a better, less chewy texture, and the sauce to thicken.
P.S. This recipe makes a buttload of crepes. The serving size is six, but I made at least 20.
The filling and sauce recipe is my own, but the crepe wrapper recipe is from Bon Appetit.
Crepes
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons melted butter, plus additional for brushing
Filling & Sauce
1 1/2 cups blueberries
2 cups strawberries, quartered
1 cup raspberries (optional)
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup Pernot (or other licorice-flavored liquor)
1/4 cup Grand Marnier (or other orange-flavored liqueur)
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
For crepes (via Bon Appetit):
Sift flour and salt into large bowl. Whisk milk and eggs in medium bowl. Gradually whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Whisk in 2 tablespoons melted butter.
Heat crepe pan or 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush pan with melted butter. Pour in 2 tablespoons crepe mixture, swirling pan to coat bottom. Cook crepe until golden on bottom and set in center, about 30 seconds. Turn crepe and cook until golden spots appear, about 15 seconds. Transfer crepe to paper-towel-lined ovenproof plate. Repeat with remaining batter, placing paper towels between crepes. Cover tightly with foil. Chill.
For filling and sauce:
Throw all the ingredients (except for the Grand Marnier, Pernot, and strawberries) in a medium saucepan. Simmer on very low heat, uncovered and stirring occasionally. Let this stew for about five minutes, then add the remaining ingredients and stew for another five (If you're using fresh berries, cook the spices, sugar, and water for ten minutes, then add the berries and liquor and stew for 2 minutes on VERY LOW heat). Pull out the cinnamon stick and cloves and strain the mixture. Save the liquid, when chilled it should thicken a bit and become a very nice sauce. Put the filling and sauce in separate containers and chill.
To Serve:
Preheat your oven to 300°F. Heat covered crepe wraps in oven until warmed through, about 15 minutes. Spread 1 rounded tablespoon of warmed filling down the center of each crepe and roll up like a soft taco! Drizzle with the sauce and add a dollop of creme fraiche if you like!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Kimchi Fried Rice
I can't believe I abandoned this poor thing for so long! I will definitely be posting regularly again, with more carnivorous recipes too, I promise!
This is a great way to use up extra kimchi. Also, this recipe is SUPER EASY and great for the lazy and the cooking-retarded. You can't really fuck this up. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, add some pork loin or chicken too!
This recipe calls for Pimenton, which is something not everyone has in their kitchen, but I highly recommend buying. It's cheap and brings out the flavor of everything. It's a mildly spicy, smoky red pepper powder.
2 eggs (optional)
3-4 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cups packed kimchi, cut in to small pieces
2 cups uncooked rice
2 large scallions, minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce or Braggs
2 teaspoons red pepper
Pinch of pimenton (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
Cook the rice first. Make sure the rice is done before you start cooking and set it aside. It's o.k. if the rice is a little al dente, just stir fry it a bit longer and it should be fine.
Heat the pan/wok on medium-high heat and add a couple tablespoons of the sesame oil. Add the kimchi and stir-fry until transparent.
Add the scallions, rice, soy sauce, sesame seeds, red pepper, and pimenton. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes or so. You'll probably need to add the rest of the sesame oil to prevent burning.
Adding the eggs is optional, but I highly recommend it! Whisk them in a small bowl first and then pour them over the mixture. Stir it often so all the rice gets coated. There should be some small pieces of cooked egg in there, but most of the egg should sink in to the rice, making it a little sticky and sooooo yummy. Stir-fry until the eggs are fully cooked, season with salt and pepper and serve!
This is a great way to use up extra kimchi. Also, this recipe is SUPER EASY and great for the lazy and the cooking-retarded. You can't really fuck this up. If you're feeling a little more adventurous, add some pork loin or chicken too!
This recipe calls for Pimenton, which is something not everyone has in their kitchen, but I highly recommend buying. It's cheap and brings out the flavor of everything. It's a mildly spicy, smoky red pepper powder.
2 eggs (optional)
3-4 tablespoons sesame oil
2 cups packed kimchi, cut in to small pieces
2 cups uncooked rice
2 large scallions, minced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2-3 tablespoons soy sauce or Braggs
2 teaspoons red pepper
Pinch of pimenton (optional)
Sea salt and black pepper (to taste)
Cook the rice first. Make sure the rice is done before you start cooking and set it aside. It's o.k. if the rice is a little al dente, just stir fry it a bit longer and it should be fine.
Heat the pan/wok on medium-high heat and add a couple tablespoons of the sesame oil. Add the kimchi and stir-fry until transparent.
Add the scallions, rice, soy sauce, sesame seeds, red pepper, and pimenton. Mix well and cook for 3 minutes or so. You'll probably need to add the rest of the sesame oil to prevent burning.
Adding the eggs is optional, but I highly recommend it! Whisk them in a small bowl first and then pour them over the mixture. Stir it often so all the rice gets coated. There should be some small pieces of cooked egg in there, but most of the egg should sink in to the rice, making it a little sticky and sooooo yummy. Stir-fry until the eggs are fully cooked, season with salt and pepper and serve!
Friday, December 14, 2007
Eggs Blériot
I named this after this guy!
This is a really aesthetically pleasing brunch dish--the bright green avocado, yellow yolk, and pinky-brown salame look beautiful together--and the rich flavors are tres magnifique. This is a nice dish to impress the ladies, or the parents, but make sure you practice poaching the eggs beforehand--it's tricky!
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
1 avocado, halved
2 paper thin slices Fra'Mani Salami Nostrano (this is a veeeery fancy dry salame (it runs about $20/lb at Fairway) you can substitute with Genoa salame or even sopressata if needed, but american "salami" is a big no-no)
french baguette
salt and pepper, to taste
Slice two wedges from the baguette and place them side by side on a plate. Place a half of the avocado upside down on each wedge. Dash them with salt and pepper, and then place the salami on top. (That was the easy part)
Poaching the eggs is the trickiest part of this dish. The most important part is to ensure the entire egg stays intact, so poach them one at a time. Fill a deep saucepan about 1/4 of the way with water. Stir in the vinegar and salt. Crack an egg in a bowl--don't mix it! Wait until the water is at a rapid boil, then turn down the heat until it is barely moving. Take a wooden spoon and stir until the water forms a vortex. With your other hand, pour the egg in to the middle of the whirlpool, and simultaneously, STOP stirring and slide the egg in to the center of the vortex. This technique (plus the salt and vinegar) helps the egg to stay together. This takes some finesse so be prepared to have some practice eggs. When the egg is fully poached (between 3.5 to 4 min), the white will be solid with a runny yolk.
Finally, take caution when transporting the egg to the plate--you don't want to break the yolk, or drip water everywhere! Use a food or tea strainer to carefully cradle the egg and release excess liquid.
This is a really aesthetically pleasing brunch dish--the bright green avocado, yellow yolk, and pinky-brown salame look beautiful together--and the rich flavors are tres magnifique. This is a nice dish to impress the ladies, or the parents, but make sure you practice poaching the eggs beforehand--it's tricky!
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
1 avocado, halved
2 paper thin slices Fra'Mani Salami Nostrano (this is a veeeery fancy dry salame (it runs about $20/lb at Fairway) you can substitute with Genoa salame or even sopressata if needed, but american "salami" is a big no-no)
french baguette
salt and pepper, to taste
Slice two wedges from the baguette and place them side by side on a plate. Place a half of the avocado upside down on each wedge. Dash them with salt and pepper, and then place the salami on top. (That was the easy part)
Poaching the eggs is the trickiest part of this dish. The most important part is to ensure the entire egg stays intact, so poach them one at a time. Fill a deep saucepan about 1/4 of the way with water. Stir in the vinegar and salt. Crack an egg in a bowl--don't mix it! Wait until the water is at a rapid boil, then turn down the heat until it is barely moving. Take a wooden spoon and stir until the water forms a vortex. With your other hand, pour the egg in to the middle of the whirlpool, and simultaneously, STOP stirring and slide the egg in to the center of the vortex. This technique (plus the salt and vinegar) helps the egg to stay together. This takes some finesse so be prepared to have some practice eggs. When the egg is fully poached (between 3.5 to 4 min), the white will be solid with a runny yolk.
Finally, take caution when transporting the egg to the plate--you don't want to break the yolk, or drip water everywhere! Use a food or tea strainer to carefully cradle the egg and release excess liquid.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Girlie Strawberry Cocktail
I made this about an hour ago, imagine Sixteen Candles in a glass.
1 part Strawberry Smirnoff
5 parts Cranberry juice
Whole frozen strawberries
Mix the booze and the juice in a cocktail glass. Use the strawberries instead of ice cubes. They're real tasty (and kind of sexy) to munch on later.
1 part Strawberry Smirnoff
5 parts Cranberry juice
Whole frozen strawberries
Mix the booze and the juice in a cocktail glass. Use the strawberries instead of ice cubes. They're real tasty (and kind of sexy) to munch on later.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Zucchini Soup with Basil
This is a classic summer soup. The recipe comes from my mom, and although she prefers to serve it warm, I really like it chilled. Following this is a recipe for croutons that taste great with the soup.
3 T. margarine (or unsalted butter for the purists)
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 celery ribs, diced
1 med. onion, minced
1 bay leaf
½ t. chopped thyme leaves
11/2 pounds small zucchini, cut into ½ inch pieces
3 c. chicken broth (vegetable broth will work too)
salt and pepper
8 small basil leaves
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the margarine in the olive oil. Add the celery, onion, bay leaf and thyme and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft (about 20 minutes). Increase the heat to moderate, stir in the zucchini and broth, season with salt and pepper and simmer the soup until the zucchini is soft (about 10 minutes). Don't forget to toss the bay leaf before blending!
Puree the soup in a blender (in small batches) until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat gently, Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with croutons, tomatoes, or basil leaves.
3 T. margarine (or unsalted butter for the purists)
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 celery ribs, diced
1 med. onion, minced
1 bay leaf
½ t. chopped thyme leaves
11/2 pounds small zucchini, cut into ½ inch pieces
3 c. chicken broth (vegetable broth will work too)
salt and pepper
8 small basil leaves
In a large heavy saucepan, melt the margarine in the olive oil. Add the celery, onion, bay leaf and thyme and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft (about 20 minutes). Increase the heat to moderate, stir in the zucchini and broth, season with salt and pepper and simmer the soup until the zucchini is soft (about 10 minutes). Don't forget to toss the bay leaf before blending!
Puree the soup in a blender (in small batches) until smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat gently, Season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with croutons, tomatoes, or basil leaves.
Vegan Basil Croutons
These croutons are great with salad, but we made them especially for the Zucchini Soup with Basil.
Tip: Trader Joe's, Arnold's, Whole Foods, and Cobblestone Farms make vegan country-style loaves.
2 T margarine
1/3 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
Two ½ inch thick slices country bread cut into ½ inch dice
In a large skillet, melt the butter over moderately high heat. Stir in the chopped basil, then add the bread cubes and toss to coat with the butter. Season the bread cubes with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, or until the bread cubes are lightly toasted and crispy. Transfer to a paper-towel covered plate to absorb excess oil.
Tip: Trader Joe's, Arnold's, Whole Foods, and Cobblestone Farms make vegan country-style loaves.
2 T margarine
1/3 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
Two ½ inch thick slices country bread cut into ½ inch dice
In a large skillet, melt the butter over moderately high heat. Stir in the chopped basil, then add the bread cubes and toss to coat with the butter. Season the bread cubes with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, or until the bread cubes are lightly toasted and crispy. Transfer to a paper-towel covered plate to absorb excess oil.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Summer Pasta
I made this in August on a rather hot afternoon. Hot dishes are okay in the summer as long as they have light and bright flavors (and the nice yellow and green colors in this recipe are nice too). I had this with a pretty mild white wine, but Bekim thought a summer ale goes nice too. This pasta is vegetarian (take the cheese out and it will be 100% vegan), but it is also nice (and more filling) with grilled chicken strips mixed in.
Summer Pasta
1lb fettucine pasta
1 yellow pepper
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1/2 onion
4 cloves garlic
8oz (small container) grape tomatoes
small ball fresh mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup white (preferrably) or red wine
olive oil
slice up all your vegetables nice and thin.
after you put the water on, start sauteeing the garlic, onions, zucchini and squash in olive oil. after they start getting soft in the center, add the yellow pepper. you want the other vegetables to be soft but the peppers should have a bit of a snap to them. add the red or white wine (i made it with red, but only because i was out of white, either is fine) and a bit of water. leave it uncovered, the liquids will reduce and will form a thin sauce. when the vegetables are almost done, throw in the grape tomatoes and cover. you want these to cook only slightly.
cook and drain the pasta and return to pot. add a little olive oil and throw in all the vegetables. tear up the fresh mozzarella in to bite sized pieces and throw them in. stir the pasta for about a minute until the mozarella melts and becomes a little stringy. add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with grated Romano cheese.
Summer Pasta
1lb fettucine pasta
1 yellow pepper
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1/2 onion
4 cloves garlic
8oz (small container) grape tomatoes
small ball fresh mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup white (preferrably) or red wine
olive oil
slice up all your vegetables nice and thin.
after you put the water on, start sauteeing the garlic, onions, zucchini and squash in olive oil. after they start getting soft in the center, add the yellow pepper. you want the other vegetables to be soft but the peppers should have a bit of a snap to them. add the red or white wine (i made it with red, but only because i was out of white, either is fine) and a bit of water. leave it uncovered, the liquids will reduce and will form a thin sauce. when the vegetables are almost done, throw in the grape tomatoes and cover. you want these to cook only slightly.
cook and drain the pasta and return to pot. add a little olive oil and throw in all the vegetables. tear up the fresh mozzarella in to bite sized pieces and throw them in. stir the pasta for about a minute until the mozarella melts and becomes a little stringy. add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with grated Romano cheese.
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