You need a good sweet crepe recipe, and a good savory crepe recipe. Make the crepes ahead of time — they keep a day or two in the refrigerator, separated by wax paper squares and wrapped in plastic. (Some people freeze them, too.) I am too lazy to put the recipes for crepes themselves here. Just look online. Two tricks: make the batter in the blender and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours before you cook the crepes. Cook them properly: get your nonstick skillet good and hot, but not too hot, butter well between crepes, and then practice putting the right amount of batter in, swirling it around, and then cooking until it releases itself from the bottom of the pan, and flipping it over. Practice, practice, practice. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be fast (not to mention impressive to observers). I have the batter in a big container, use a 2-oz ladle to dip out the right amount, use 8″ skillets, and a metal pan with melted butter, which I brush on my skillet with a pastry brush.
It’s a fast process, and you really can work three pans at a time: brush with butter, ladle batter, swirl, set on burner. Go to the next pan, and repeat. Then the next one. Back to the first. Shake the pan. Is the crepe releasing? No? Wait a minute. Yes? Flip with enthusiasm. Move to the next pan, then the next. Now, back to the first pan. Flip the crepe onto the plate. Top with wax paper, grab the next pan, flip it out, wax paper, grab the third, flip it out. Now repeat the whole process.
Next day or a couple of hours later, it’s time to fill the crepes and eat them.
OK, let’s start with a sweet crepe. Warm up the crepes however you wish to do that. In the oven, or in a skillet, a couple of seconds on each side. This just softens the crepe so it’s easier to roll, and gives it a better texture.
STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB CREPE ASSEMBLY
Put the crepe pretty side down.
Strawberry-rhubarb sauce – squirt in a spiral pattern on the crepe
Whipped cream — in a line down the middle of the crepe
Sliced strawberries — on the whipped cream “line”
Currant glaze — squirt artfully on plate (another spiral?)
Roll up crepe, place on currant glaze
Whipped cream dallop on top, with another strawberry slice
Mint leaf if you have it
Shake of vanilla sugar
STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB SAUCE
(keep in refrigerator in squirt bottle; can be frozen)
2 cups strawberries, stemmed
1 cup sliced rhubarb (1 large rib, trimmed but not peeled)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Trim the strawberries’ broad tops and put the trimmings in a small saucepan with the rhubarb, sugar, and vanilla extract. Slice remaining strawberries, and add the end slices to the pan with the rhubarb, reserving the nicest slices to garnish the crepes. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fruit is thick and jamlike, about 15 minutes. Add butter and puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. Cool and store in squirt bottles.
CURRANT GLAZE
(keep in refrigerator in a squirt bottle)
1 tablespoon currant jelly
1 tablespoon very hot water
Stir together jelly and hot water. Brush warm glaze over strawberries.
VANILLA SUGAR
1 cup powdered sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lenthwise and then chopped into 1″ pieces
Throw them together in a shaker. Let sit overnight before use.
Skating Away 