Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Crepes - Creamy Chicken & Mushroom and Smoked Salmon Mousse with Asparagus



Last night's dinner was one I had been visualizing for weeks...not so much its execution...but the actual eating of the meal and all its possibilities! Once again inspired by chefs on TV (in particular Ming Tsai and Eric Ripert preparing then sampling two distinct crepes, each representative of their respective culture) ...the sweet and savory crepe combinations have seemed endless! The analysis, paralysis got so bad, I found myself dreaming of ice cream crepes with crispy bacon, swimming in pools of decadent, dark chocolate, amongst shaved vanilla beans and hints of cayenne pepper (bad...or genius?)! The need to focus resulted in the following two savory classics - a Smoked Salmon Mousse with Roasted Thin Asparagus and a Creamy Chicken, Mushroom with subtle hints of Rosemary, Sherry and Thyme.

While my husband savored every bite of the rich and creamy, dueling delicacies...for the dinners sake...I wished I had focused on one. Equally pleasing in presentation and flavor, interchanging bites proved too rich for me. On this particular evening, I found myself drawn to the creamy chicken and mushroom, (for a salmon aficionado) something I never would have guessed!

With Mother's Day fast approaching, I remain in awe at the versatility of the crepe! I'll be requesting one delicately filled with crab meat and brie, a crisp, green salad and fresh fruit by its side...or perhaps one filled with chocolate and bananas, toasted pistachios and drizzled with honey??? Truth is...I'll be thrilled with whatever combination my husband and children dream up -that's the beauty of the crepe - fill them with any combination of ingredients you love... and I'm not sure it's possible to ever get it wrong!


BASIC CREPES
AllRecipes.Com By: JENNYC819

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
1.In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

2.Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

3.Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Serve hot.
(Yielded 6 larger crepes)

1 comment:

Ashley said...

You are so right -- everything only tastes better in a crepe! Love your filling ideas! And I can't help but think that your steak sandwich filling (with the caramelized onions and horseradish mayo) would also taste delicious in a crepe. Thanks for sharing!