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Asparagus Crepes with Mushroom Sauce
Difficulty Level Moderate
I was so excited at the farmers' market this week to find wild leeks, asparagus and fiddleheads. This is when cooking starts to get fun again, after the months of tubers and heavier meals. Of course, my husband will be throwing his hands up in despair in the next couple of weeks as he gets tired of eating asparagus every day. In fact, after eating all the asparagus last night (oh, why didn't I buy two bunches), my daughter and I braved the elements to go to the Saturday market in my neighbourhood in search of more.
Thunder and lightning followed us and I thought I could hear the rain approaching us from behind, but it turned out to be hail I was hearing. We were soaked to the skin by the time we got to the market, and as luck would have it, today was the first day that it was moved outdoors. Vendors huddled under tents with their wares covered. All that, and no asparagus to be found. I guess I'll just have to wait until next week.
My daughter was very excited about the prospect of crepes, apparently she makes them all the time when she is away at university. However, I appear to be as inept at making crepes as I am at making regular pancakes. She came into the kitchen to see what was taking to long, sighed, rolled her eyes and took over the crepe making. Mine were thick, white and stodgy and hers were thin, crisp and golden.
INGREDIENTS
| Crepes: | |
| 1 | large egg |
| 1 ¼ cups | milk |
| 1 cup | unbleached all-purpose flour |
| ¼ tsp | salt |
| melted butter for the pan | |
| 1 ½ lbs | asparagus. trimmed and steams until tender |
| Mushroom Sauce: | |
| 3 tbsp | unsalted butter |
| 1 lb | mushrooms, thinly sliced |
| ½ tsp | salt, or to taste |
| 3 tbsp | brandy or dry sherry |
| 3 tbsp | unbleached all-purpose flour |
| 1 ½ cups | warmed milk |
| freshly ground black pepper | |
PREPARATION:
Crepes:
- Place the egg, milk, flour, and salt in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Heat a 6 or 7" non-stick crepe or omelet pan. When it is warm, brush it lightly with melted butter. Wait another 30 seconds or so until the pan is quite hot.
- When the pan is hot enough to sizzle a bread crumb, pour in ¼ cup of the batter. Lift the pan, and tilt it in all directions until the batter thoroughly coats the bottom. Cook on one side until set, then turn it over and cook for just another second or two on the other side.
- Turn the crepe out onto a clean, dry dinner plate and repeat the procedure until you have used up all the batter.
- To fill, place 3 or 4 stocks of cooked asparagus on one side of each crepe, and roll or fold the other side over. Serve warm or at room temperature, with hot or warm mushroom sauce either underneath or spooned over the top.
Mushroom Sauce:
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized skilled. Add all the mushrooms and the salt, and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the brandy or sherry, and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Gradually sprinkle in the flour as you whisk the mushroom mixture. Whisk and cook for another 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Stir in the warmed milk. Cover over low heat, stirring often, until thickened and smooth. Season to taste with black pepper and salt. From The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without by Mollie Katzen
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