Buckwheat Crêpe Noodles With Chive Butter Food

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 CRêPE NOODLES WITH CHIVE BUTTER

Steps:

• Make crêpes and cut into noodles:
• Blend milk, eggs, flours, salt, and pepper in a blender, scraping down sides occasionally, until smooth, then add parsley and 3 tablespoons butter and blend just until incorporated.
• Lightly brush a 10-inch nonstick skillet with some remaining butter and heat over moderate heat until hot. Fill a 1/4-cup measure three-fourths full of batter, then pour into skillet, tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly for next crêpe.) Cook just until underside is set and lightly browned, 10 to 15 seconds, then loosen crêpe with a heatproof plastic spatula and flip over with your fingers. Cook crêpe until other side is just cooked through, about 15 seconds more. Transfer crêpe to a large sheet of wax paper. Make more crêpes in same manner, lightly brushing skillet with more butter as needed between batches and stacking crêpes in 2 piles.
• Transfer crêpe stacks to a cutting board and cut each stack into 1/2-inch-wide strips, then separate into noodles.
• Make chive butter and assemble dish:
• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a baking pan.
• Mash together butter and chives with a fork in a small bowl, then add salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread noodles in baking pan and reheat in oven until hot, about 15 minutes.
• Melt chive butter (along with any remaining melted butter from crêpes) in a small saucepan, then drizzle over noodles. Gently transfer noodles to a warmed serving bowl (noodles are delicate).
• *Available at natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

BUCKWHEAT CREPES

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flours and salt. Add eggs and mix well. Gradually add milk and 1 1/4 cups water, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Add butter and whisk until smooth. (Alternatively, these ingredients may be combined in a blender and processed for 1 minute.) Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Stir well before using.
• Place a baking sheet in oven and heat to 175 degrees. Dampen a dish towel with warm water and set aside. Using a brush or paper towel, lightly oil a 6- to 8-inch lightweight skillet or crepe pan. Place over medium heat. When pan is warm, lift from heat and wait 3 seconds, then pour in 1/4 cup crepe batter while tilting pan so batter coats bottom evenly. Return to heat. Cook until lightly browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook other side about 1 minute. (First crepes may tear and need to be discarded.) Place finished crepes on baking sheet in oven and cover with damp towel.
• To fill crepes, remove from oven. Raise oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place one crepe on a plate (replace towel on others), and spread about 3 tablespoons filling across one end. Roll end just enough to enclose mixture. Fold in two sides of crepe, then continue to roll. Place filled crepes in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour a portion of filling's sauce over top and place in oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until warmed through. Serve immediately.

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 CRêPES WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES

Steps:

• Place milk, water, eggs and salt in a blender. Cover blender and turn on at low speed. Add flours, then butter or oil and increase speed to high. Blend for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• Place a nonstick or seasoned 8-inch crêpe pan over medium heat. Brush with butter or oil and when pan is hot, just before it begins to smoke, remove from the heat and ladle in about 3 tablespoons batter. Tilt or swirl pan to distribute batter evenly and return to the heat. Cook for about 1 minute, until you can easily loosen the edges with a spatula. Turn and cook on the other side for 20 to 30 seconds. Reverse onto a plate. Continue until all of batter is used up. Keep warm in a low oven.
• To make the caramelized apples, heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter. When it begins to color add sugar, apples, cinnamon and nutmeg. Turn heat to high and cook the apples, shaking and flipping them in the pan or stirring with a heat-proof spatula, until they have softened and caramelized, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Place a warm crêpe on a plate and spoon apples onto one half. Fold the crêpe over, then fold over again (to a quarter circle) to make room for another crêpe. Repeat with another crêpe. Top with a spoonful of crème fraiche or yogurt, and serve.