Buckwheat Crepes with Salmon and Scrambled Eggs
Introduced into Italy when the country was invaded by the Saracens, buckwheat flour is called grano saraceno in Italian. It is traditionally used to make crepes as well as pasta and cakes.
Ingredients
For the crepes:
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- 5 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. canola oil
For the sauce:
- 13 Tbs. chilled unsalted butter, cut into
1/2-inch cubes - 2 shallots, minced
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup white wine
- Salt, to taste
- 8 tsp. unsalted butter
For the filling:
- 8 eggs
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 6 oz. smoked salmon, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Directions
To make the crepes, in a blender, combine the egg, milk, all-purpose and buckwheat flours, salt and canola oil and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
To make the sauce, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter. Add the shallots and lemon zest and sauté, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and wine, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the remaining 12 Tbs. butter, a few cubes at a time, whisking until blended before adding more. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt. Keep warm over very low heat, being careful not to let the sauce boil.
In a crepe pan over medium heat, melt 1 tsp. of the butter to coat the pan evenly. Lift the pan at a slight angle and pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the center, tilting the pan to spread the batter to the edges. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the crepe is golden underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the crepe over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cover. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 8 crepes.
To make the filling, in a bowl, using a fork, beat the eggs with salt and pepper until blended. In a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the eggs and cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon and reaching into the bottom and edges of the pan, until the eggs begin to thicken and break into curds, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking and stirring until the eggs are almost firm, about 4 minutes more.
Immediately assemble the crepes. On a clean work surface, lay out the 8 crepes. Place the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs in the center of the crepes, dividing evenly. Fold over the sides of each crepe to form a square package. Place 2 filled crepes, seam side down, on each of 4 warmed plates. Drizzle the crepes with the warm sauce and garnish with the chives. Serve immediately.
To make the sauce, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter. Add the shallots and lemon zest and sauté, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and wine, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the remaining 12 Tbs. butter, a few cubes at a time, whisking until blended before adding more. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt. Keep warm over very low heat, being careful not to let the sauce boil.
In a crepe pan over medium heat, melt 1 tsp. of the butter to coat the pan evenly. Lift the pan at a slight angle and pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the center, tilting the pan to spread the batter to the edges. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the crepe is golden underneath, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the crepe over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and cover. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 8 crepes.
To make the filling, in a bowl, using a fork, beat the eggs with salt and pepper until blended. In a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the eggs and cook, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon and reaching into the bottom and edges of the pan, until the eggs begin to thicken and break into curds, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking and stirring until the eggs are almost firm, about 4 minutes more.
Immediately assemble the crepes. On a clean work surface, lay out the 8 crepes. Place the smoked salmon and scrambled eggs in the center of the crepes, dividing evenly. Fold over the sides of each crepe to form a square package. Place 2 filled crepes, seam side down, on each of 4 warmed plates. Drizzle the crepes with the warm sauce and garnish with the chives. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.