Scallion Sesame Crepes

Despite the fact that the kids (and dog) have been cooped up for much of this long weekend, there is one great thing about rain (well there are many...my garden looks great, the drought may ease up a bit), it means that baseball is cancelled and we can have a leisurely dinner at home, which until recently, I have taken quite for granted. We will all get to sit around the table at the same time and enjoy a meal together, with nowhere to rush off to, and plenty of time to prepare it. My kids will hate this meal, not the togetherness of it, but the taste of it, but hopefully they won't make too much of a fuss and I'll make sure that there is something they like on the table.

When I was looking for recipes for sorrel, I came across a great one for savory crepes, by Deborah Madison in her cookbook, Local Flavors, which has become my farmers market bible of sorts. The crepes, scented with sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds and scallions, are then stuffed with stir fried baby green. I had to go out and buy a non-stick skillet just so I could make the crepes....obviously it is something that I have never tried. But the recipe looked easy enough, and quite tasty too.

It is true what they say about the first two pancakes being something of a mess. I didn't have to go so far as to throw mine out, but the rest of the crepes came out much better, once I got the hang of how to flip them. The filling was so easy to prepare, just a simple saute of mixed veggies. Anything you have on hand would stand in easily for the bok choy and mushrooms, and if you need some extra protein, adding some tofu, shrimp or chicken would make a nice addition.



Scallion Sesame Crepes
makes about 10

1 C water

3/4 C milk

1 T toasted sesame oil

1 T vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1/2 t salt

1 C flour

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal

toasted sesame seeds for sprinkling

Put first 6 ingredients into a blender and blend well until completely combined. Add flour and blend for 10 seconds more. Set aside to rest for about 15 minutes.

Heat a 9 inch, non-stick skillet over medium heat with a touch of vegetable oil, wiping out the excess. When pan is hot, pour in 1/3 C of batter, swirling pan to distribute evenly. Sprinkle with some of the scallions and the sesame seeds. After top begins to look set (after about one minute), gently loosen the edges with a spatula and carefully flip over. At this point the crepe should move around in the pan easily. Cook for one minute more and then slide out onto a plate. Wrap with foil and keep warm (in a 200 degree oven, if necessary).

Sauteed Bok Choy and Shiitake Mushrooms

This isn't so much a recipe, but rather a simple method for cooking any tender green or vegetable (like sugar snap peas). Simply heat about 1 t of toasted sesame oil and 1 t of vegetable oil in a skillet. Add 1/2 pound of cleaned and sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have released their juice and are becoming tender, about 4 minutes. Add 3 bunches of chopped baby bok choy and continue to saute until bok choy wilts slightly, about 1 minute more. Sprinkle with soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds and serve with scallion sesame crepes.