Crepes are delicious and surprisingly easy
to make. My 11 year old daughter learnt
the technique while completing a breakfast cooking club and was excited to
teach me how to make them!
They resemble
a very thin pancake and freeze really well, so when I make them, I make a lot to
have them around for quick meal ideas. They also look impressive when serving company!
To boost the nutritional content of
traditional crepes, I sprinkle some ground flax seed into the batter. Flax seed contains lots of good things like
omega 3 fatty acids, lignan (antioxidant) and fibre. You can purchase ground flax seed in bulk so
you only need to buy what you will use.
Crepes can be filled in a variety of easy
ways – sauteed apples with cinnamon, strawberries & cream cheese, ham &
cheddar, Swiss cheese & cooked asparagus, sauteed mushrooms & arugula –
the ideas are endless. Pair a savoury crepe
with a side salad and a complete dinner is ready! Or fill one with fruit and cream cheese for a
quick breakfast or light lunch. My favourite filling is Asparagus & Roasted
Chicken. This filling takes a bit of
time to prepare, but is well worth the effort!
Crepes: (12
servings)
3 eggs
1 ½ cup (375 mL) milk
2 tbsp. (15 mL) butter melted
2 tbsp. (15 mL) ground flax seed
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp (2 mL) salt
Directions:
- In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, butter and flax seed.
- Heat a lightly greased 8” nonstick skillet over medium heat and pour ¼ cup (60 mL) batter into centre of skillet. Lift & tilt pan to coat the bottom thinly with batter.
- When they are ready to flip, the top will go from looking wet & shiny to dry looking. This will only take about 1-2 minutes.
- Using a rubber spatula will help to get under the crepe to flip it over. I find it helpful to run the spatula around the edges to make sure nothing is stuck before I flip! Once flipped, cook the crepe about 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack so they don’t get soggy while they cool.
- Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. I made all 12 crepes in about 15 minutes.
- Use immediately or you can stack the crepes between wax paper, wrap and freeze to use later.
Asparagus & Roasted Chicken
Filling:
1 ½ cup (375 mL) fresh asparagus (cut into 1” pieces)
1 small onion chopped
1 tsp. (5 mL) vegetable oil
1 sliced red pepper
3 cups of roasted chicken or leftover chicken cut up
or shredded
Sauce:
¼ cup (60 mL) butter or margarine
¼ cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 ½ cup (375 mL) milk
6 slices Swiss cheese (halved)
2/3 cup (160 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese. (keep a
bit to sprinkle on top of crepes)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Saute the asparagus and onion in oil for 4-5 minutes – just until tender. Add red pepper and cook about 2 minutes longer.
- Remove from heat and stir in chicken.
- For the sauce: Melt the butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper until smooth.
- Gradually add milk & whisk together. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stirring constantly.
- Stir in shredded mozzarella cheese until melted.
- Spread about ½ cup of chicken filling down centre of each crepe. Top with 2 tbsp. (30 mL) of sauce and 1 piece of Swiss cheese.
- Roll up crepe and place seam side down in greased 9”x 13” baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake, uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.
Enjoy!
Susan Bird
Susan Bird is completing a Master degree in
Foods & Nutrition at Brescia University College. She is studying to become
a Registered Dietitian and is currently completing a dietetic internship
rotation at the Perth District Health Unit.
Recipe
adapted from Taste of Home http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chicken-and-asparagus-crepes
Comments
Post a Comment