Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crepes

 

Spinach, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crepes
From Closet Cooking 

Back in my professional crepe making days (yes, I was a professional crepe maker, didn't you read Monday's post!?) my all time favorites were savory crepes.  We served one stuffed with chicken pot pie filling that was the stuff dreams are made of.  A lot of people associate crepes with breakfast and dessert, but these "really thin pancakes" deserve more time in the dinner spotlight.  This recipe isn't quite as decadent as the chicken pot pie version, but it is perfectly savory with the creamy goat cheese and tart splash of balsamic vinegar.

Random side note on the mushroom mixture: if you don't already, try adding thyme to just about anything with mushrooms.  We discovered this combo in a mushroom pizza recipe two summers ago, and have been hooked ever since.  Plus cooking with thyme is my favorite thanks to all the great puns (the more wine we drink while cooking, the more puns...poor John).

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (we used creminis and shiitakes - anything would work, but exotics and mixes always have a deeper flavor)
• 1 Tbsp thyme, chopped
• 4 oz spinach
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1 splash dry Sherry or Marsala
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• 4 small crepes

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large skillet.
2. Add onion and saute until just starting to brown, about 7 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute about 1 minute.
4. Add the butter and let it melt.
5. Add mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper, and saute until soft.
6. Add Sherry or Marsala and scrape the pan with a wooden spoon to deglaze.
7. Add spinach and saute until wilted.
8. Meanwhile, place balsamic vinegar in a small sauce pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until it is reduced to a syrupy consistency.
9. Divide mushroom mixture across 4 crepes, drizzle with balsamic reduction, and sprinkle with goat cheese.
10. Fold crepe in half and serve.

Makes 4 small crepes.

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Crepes

Crepes
From All Recipes 

Strange but true: in high school I was a professional crepe maker.  I had a brief stint working at an adorable crepe and gelato place that has long since closed and turned into a Subway.  Part of my job was making giant, gorgeous crepes on a huge circular crepe griddle, spreading out the batter with this special stick/rake thingy.  I made and ate about a bajillion crepes that summer, and then spent the next decade under the impression that you can't make them at home without all that fancy schmancy equipment.  Well folks, the crepe fast has officially come to an end!

This recipe is super simple and the crepes turn out as delicate and delightful as, albeit much smaller than, the ones from that little creperie of my past.  Later this week I'll post a great recipe for a savory crepe filling.  For now though, I'll let these guys stand on their own.  They're great with a little powdered sugar, and can be filled with just about anything.  Nutella and bananas, anyone???  Mmmmmm.

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Combine eggs, milk, flour, salt, and oil in a blender.  Process until smooth.  It only took my blender like 20 seconds.
2. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.  I've done it for only 30 minutes, and I've done it for 3 or 4 hours.  It's all good.
3. Heat a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat.  If your skillet is bigger or smaller, adjust the amount of batter per crepe accordingly.
4. Spray skillet with cooking spray and pour 1/4 cup of batter into pan.  Tilt pan around to spread the batter out.
5. Cook 2-3 minutes per side.  Use a spatula to check for desired level of browning before flipping.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with remaining batter - including re-spraying with a light layer of cooking spray.  After about 3 crepes we had to wipe the pan out with a paper towel and let it cool a little because the old, super hot cooking spray buildup was causing the crepes to burn a little.

Makes 7-8 crepes.

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