I’ll bet you think crepes originated in France. Being of Scottish and Irish descent, I must tell you that crepes first originated in Brittany, a former Celtic kingdom, which is now a northwest region of France. Today, crepes are considered a national dish in all of France and are very popular here in the “States”.
This is a very tasty dish, especially if you like cheese. Be warned: it is not a “heart-smart” dish by any means. The good news is that it is an easy dish to prepare and assemble. If you really like cheese, consider using 2 cups of Gruyère instead of the 1½ in my recipe.
Crepe Batter:
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup water
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 eggs
1 cup whole wheat flour
Filling:
1 ½ pounds fresh cremini mushrooms (cleaned & sliced)
½ cup green onions (chopped)
½ cup butter
1 ¼ tablespoons fresh basil (chopped fine)
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base
1 ½ cups water
¼ cup unbleached white flour
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste
1 ½ cups Gruyère cheese (grated)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
The Crepes: Combine all batter ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Refrigerate for at least one hour prior to making crepes. Cook eight to nine 8-inch crepes (they should resemble thin pancakes) and set aside. Wrap them in plastic or put in a baggie to keep them from drying out.
The Filling: Sauté mushrooms and green onions in ¼ cup of the butter. Add basil and cook until mushrooms are limp. Set aside. Mix bouillon in the water. Melt the remaining ¼ cup butter in saucepan. Add flour and cook approximately 2 minutes. Slowly add bouillon mixture, wine and cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Do not allow to boil. When the sauce is ready, pour 1/3 over the mushroom mixture and allow to cool slightly. Reserve remaining sauce.
Assembly: Fill crepes with mushroom mixture and fold, seam down, in a greased, oven-proof serving dish. I like to fold them into squares but folding them into roles (like enchiladas) works well too. Pour remaining sauce over the completed crepes and top with cheese.
Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Serve with croissants and a fresh garden salad with vinaigrette dressing.
Chef Randy’s latest book: Ojai Valley Make Ahead Cookbook on Sale at AMAZON
For additional recipes, see Chef Randy’s website at valley-vegetarian.com.
Chef Randy has been a vegetarian for over 40 years and eats local and organic grain, fresh fruit, and vegetables as much as possible. He is known locally as the “Healthy Chef.” His column, Chef Randy, is syndicated in California newspapers. See his website at Valley-Vegetarian.com for more recipes.
Visit his author’s page on Amazon for culinary inspiration!
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