Buckwheat Crepes With Honeyed Ricotta And Sautéed Plums Recipes

BUCKWHEAT CREPES

Steps:

• Melt 5 tablespoons butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet. Combine the melted butter, both flours, the milk, eggs and salt in a blender and process until smooth (set the skillet aside). Let the batter rest at room temperature at least 1 hour or overnight. Stir in the parsley, if desired.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Heat the skillet over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles in it. Lightly butter the skillet, then add a scant 1/3 cup batter and quickly swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook until the crepe sets and browns around the edges, about 2 minutes. Carefully lift with a rubber spatula, flip over and cook about 30 more seconds. Transfer to a plate.
• Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more butter as needed and stacking the finished crepes. Wrap the crepes in a damp dish towel and place in the oven to reheat, about 10 minutes.
• Serve with assorted fillings.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 sliced onions and 2 thyme sprigs. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the onions are lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 12 ounces spinach and cook until just wilted, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound chopped wild mushrooms and 2 thyme sprigs; saute until the mushrooms are golden, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add 2/3 cup heavy cream; toss to warm through. Remove from the heat and add a handful of parsley.
• Saute 1 1/4 pounds shrimp (peeled and halved lengthwise) in 2 tablespoons butter with 1 strip lemon zest, 2 tarragon sprigs and salt and pepper until the shrimp turn pink, 3 to 4 minutes. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and 1/2 cup white wine and simmer 1 minute. Remove from the heat; add 4 tablespoons chopped cold butter and some parsley.

BUCKWHEAT CRêPES

Steps:

• Place the milk, water, eggs and salt in a blender. Cover the blender, and turn on at low speed. Add the flours, then the canola oil, and increase the speed to high. Blend for one minute. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for one to two hours.
• Place a seasoned 7- or 8-inch crêpe pan over medium heat. Brush with butter or oil, and when the pan is hot, remove from the heat and ladle in about 3 tablespoons batter. Tilt or swirl the pan to distribute the batter evenly, and return to the heat. Cook for about one minute, until you can easily loosen the edges with a spatula. Turn and cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Turn onto a plate. Continue until all of the batter is used.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and add the spinach. Blanch for 20 seconds, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain and squeeze dry. Chop and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the crêpes in a dry skillet over medium heat (or use the skillet you used to fry your eggs). Top with a spoonful of spinach, and top the spinach with the egg, setting the egg to one side so you can fold the crêpe over. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, fold the crêpe over, and transfer to a plate with a spatula. Serve hot.

BUCKWHEAT CREPES WITH HONEYED RICOTTA AND SAUTéED PLUMS

Steps:

• To make the crepes: Whisk the flours, salt, milk, buttermilk, butter, and eggs together in a large bowl until very smooth. To save arm power, you can blend the ingredients in a blender instead. Let the batter sit for at least 1 hour at room temperature and up to 1 day in the refrigerator.
• Rub a small dab of butter (1/2 tablespoon or so) onto the bottom of a 9- or 10-inch nonstick crepe pan or sauté pan over medium heat and wait until it melts completely. (Too much butter will make for a soggy crepe.) Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the hot pan and tilt it in a circular motion to ensure the batter spreads out into an even layer. Cook over low heat until the edges start to pull away from the pan, about 2 minutes. Using a nonstick spatula, carefully flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 1 minute. Lay the crepe on a large plate and repeat until you've gone through all of the batter (it's okay to stack the crepes on the plate). If the crepe pan starts to get too dry, add another little dab of butter. I tend to cook these quickly while the plums are sautéing and assemble them right then, but if you're chatting with friends and taking your time, keep the finished, unfilled crepes warm in a 200°F oven until ready to assemble.
• To sauté the plums: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the vanilla and honey, swirl the pan so they combine with the coconut oil, and then add the plums. Sauté until juicy and warm, 2 to 3 minutes.
• To assemble: For each crepe, gently fold the crepe in fourths (fold in half, then in half again) and dollop 1 to 2 tablespoons of the Honeyed Ricotta and a few sautéed plums on top. Finish with a generous drizzle of honey.
• Make Ahead: You can cook the crepes and store them in the refrigerator, stacked between pieces of waxed or parchment paper, for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months by allowing the crepes to cool completely, wrapping them well in plastic wrap, and placing them in an airtight container. To reheat, place them in a glass baking dish or a pie plate covered with aluminum foil. Heat in a 250°F oven until just warmed through.