A tablespoon of sugar may be added to the batter for sweet crêpes, but with more they tend to scorch.
Makes 14 to 16 crêpes.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup/125 g all-purpose flour
-
pinch of salt
-
3 eggs
-
1 cup/250 ml milk (more if needed)
-
2 tbsp/30 g melted butter
-
1/4 cup/60 g clarified butter, for frying7 in/18 cm crêpe pan
DIRECTIONS 1. Mix the batter, stirring in enough milk to give the consistency of thin cream. Let it stand 30 minutes.
2. Fry the crêpes. If storing, layer them with wax paper and wrap tightly so they do not dry out.
Variations
Whole wheat crêpes Substitute 1/2 cup/60 g whole wheat flour for half the all-purpose flour.
Breton buckwheat galettes Substitute 1/2 cup/60 g buckwheat flour for half the all-purpose flour and omit one of the eggs.
A crunchy, savory crumb topping makes broccoli irresistible — really!
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 4tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
- 1/3cup minced onion
- 2large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2teaspoon dry mustard
- 4tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 1/2cups fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless sourdough bread
- 1cup (packed) grated parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
- 12to 13 cups broccoli florets (from about 3 pounds broccoli crowns)
- 1/2cup whipping cream
DIRECTIONS Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Mix in dry mustard, then 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, blending well. Add breadcrumbs; sauté until crumbs are crisp and golden, stirring and pressing with back of fork to separate, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; cool completely. Mix in 3/4 cup cheese. Cook broccoli florets in large pot of boiling generously salted water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain. Transfer to paper towels; cool. (Streusel and broccoli can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.) Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Place broccoli in large bowl. Add whipping cream, remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, and 1/4 cup cheese; toss to coat evenly. Arrange broccoli in prepared dish. Sprinkle streusel over. Bake until broccoli is heated through and streusel is browned, about 30 minutes.
Sabrina Henderson of Gardena, California, writes: “My love of cooking dates back to my junior-high home economics class. After that I took home ec every year I could. My last teacher in high school was the best. He was a former chef who taught us how to make classics like lasagna and chicken cordon bleu. I still prepare those dishes for company.”
Makes 6 appetizer servings.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2cups purchased medium-hot chunky salsa verde
- 1cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
- 1cup chopped red onion, divided
- 1/4cup plus 6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro1pound chicken tenders
- 2teaspoons chili powder
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- 4tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2large garlic cloves, chopped
- 3burrito-size flour tortillas (11 inches in diameter)
- 3cups (packed) grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
DIRECTIONS Stir salsa, corn, 1/4 cup red onion, and 1/4 cup cilantro in small bowl to blend. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle chicken with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and remaining 3/4 cup onion and sauté 1 minute. Add chicken and sauté until chicken is just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle half of 1 tortilla with 1/2 cup cheese. Place 1/3 chicken mixture atop cheese; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cilantro and another 1/2 cup cheese. Fold tortilla in half. Repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese, chicken mixture, and cilantro. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. Place 2 quesadillas in 1 skillet and third in second skillet. Cook quesadillas until brown and cheese melts, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer quesadillas to work surface and cut into wedges. Arrange on platter; serve with salsa.
Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr
Makes about 4 cups.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2cup unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4cup sugar
- 1/2teaspoon salt
- 1teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
- 1/4teaspoon cayenne
- 2lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and coarsely shredded (5 cups)
- 1bunch scallions, finely chopped (2/3 cup)
DIRECTIONS Stir together vinegar, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved, then add remaining ingredients and toss well. Chill relish, covered, tossing occasionally, at least 2 hours (to allow flavors to develop) and up to 2 days.
“This delicious cookie was created by Anna Pieklo, a Polish immigrant who came to this country at the turn of the century,” writes Diana Treese of St. Cloud, Florida. “My family is also Polish, and I love making these at Christmastime.”
Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr
Makes about 5 dozen.
INGREDIENTS
- for cookies
- 2cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)
- 1/2teaspoon salt
- 2sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4cup sugar
- 5hard-boiled large egg yolks, forced through a fine sieve
-
1 teaspoon vanillafor glaze and decoration
- 1/4cup sugar
- 1/2teaspoon cinnamon
- 1large egg
- 1teaspoon milkspecial equipment: a pastry cloth and a rolling pin sleeve
DIRECTIONS Sift together flour and salt.
Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in yolks and vanilla until combined well. Mix in flour mixture at low speed just until blended. Form dough into a disk and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Keeping remaining dough chilled, roll out one fourth of dough slightly less than 1/4 inch thick on floured pastry cloth with sleeve-covered rolling pin (dough is soft). Cut out desired shapes witha 21/2- to 3-inch floured cookie cutter. Chill scraps.Arrange cookies 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet.
Glaze and decorate cookies: Stir together sugar and cinnamon ina small bowl. Lightly beat together egg and milk in another bowl. Lightly brush tops of cookies with egg mixture and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake cookies in middle of oven until pale golden, about 12 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool. Make more cookies in same manner, rerolling scraps no more than twice.
Cardamom pods can be found in the spice section of most supermarkets; 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom can be substituted.
Makes about 4 1/2 cups.
INGREDIENTS
- 8whole green cardamom pods 1 3/4cups canned apricot nectar
- 1/2cup sugar
- 1/2cup apricot preserves
- 1/3cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4cup honey
- 16-ounce package dried apricots, quartered
- 112-ounce bag cranberries
- 1 1/2teaspoons grated lemon peel
DIRECTIONS Coarsely crush cardamom in mortar with pestle or place in resealable plastic bag and crush with rolling pin; discard skins.
Bring next 5 ingredients and cardamom to boil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add apricots; cook 2 minutes. Add cranberries and cook until berries pop, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Mix in lemon peel. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Serve cold or at room temperature.
Pierre Gagnaire
Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 10 min
Makes about 3/4 cup.
INGREDIENTS
- 2oz valrhona cara be bittersweet (66%) chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS Put chocolate in a bowl. Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan, thenpour over chocolate and whiskuntil smooth. Keep warm, covered, until ready to serve.
