Savory Crepes Florentine Food

CREPES FLORENTINE

Steps:

• For crepes, in a large bowl, combine the milk, eggs and butter. Combine flour and salt; add to milk mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , Heat a lightly greased 8-in. nonstick skillet; pour 2 tablespoons batter into the center of skillet. Lift and tilt pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15-20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, adding butter to skillet as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between., For filling, in a large saucepan, melt 5 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg until smooth; gradually add the milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low; stir in the cream and 3/4 cup Gruyere cheese. Cook and stir until cheese is melted. Remove from heat., In a skillet, saute mushrooms and shallot in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and egg until smooth. Beat in mushroom mixture. Add enough cheese sauce to achieve a spreadable consistency. In a large bowl, combine the spinach and 1/2 cup cheese sauce until blended. Add additional sauce if needed to achieve a spreadable consistency., To assemble, on two greased 9-in. ovenproof pie or tart pans, layer a crepe, spinach mixture, another crepe, then mushroom mixture. Repeat five more times. Pour remaining sauce over the stacks. Sprinkle with remaining Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses. Dot with remaining butter. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour., Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before baking. Bake at 350°; for 55-60 minutes or until bubbly and golden and a thermometer reads 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. Cut into wedges.

SAVORY CREPES FLORENTINE

Steps:

• To prepare the filling:.
• In a large bowl, combine the ricotta or tofu, spinach, onion, egg, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
• To prepare the sauce:.
• Melt the butter in a heavy medium size saucepan over moderate heat.
• Add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly-2 to 3 minutes.
• Slowly blend in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer, still stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until thickened and smooth.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, white pepper, and mace.
• One at a time, place each crepe with the most attractive side facedown, so that it will be on the outside when rolled.
• Spoon 3 to 4 tbls.
• of filling down the center, then fold the sides over.
• The crepe should be snugly filled, but not so stuffed that the filling spills out at the ends.
• Preheat the oven to 350*F.
• Lay the crepes seam side down, just touching one another, in a lightly greased, 13"x9"x2" baking dish.
• Pour the sauce over all; top with the Parmesan cheese.
• At this point, the crepes can be stored.
• refrigerate in the baking dish, tightly covered, for up to 24 hours.
• (From the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 400*F. Bake, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and proceed baking for 30 to 40 minutes, as stated below) Freeze in the labeled, tightly covered dish for up to 1 month at 0*F (From freezer,Preheat the oven to 400*F. Do not thaw the crepes. Bake, uncovered, for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until the crepes are heated through and the sauce is simmering. Brown and serve as states below).
• Bake the crepes, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling.
• run them under the broiler until browned-2 to 3 minutes.
• Accompany with a salad of sliced tomatoes and red onions with a creamy vinaigrette.
• Enjoy!
• Serves 6.

CREPES

Steps:

• In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This allows the bubbles to subside so the crepes will be less likely to tear during cooking. The batter will keep for up to 48 hours.
• Heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone. After they have cooled you can stack them and store in sealable plastic bags in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to two months. When using frozen crepes, thaw on a rack before gently peeling apart.

SAVORY CREPES

Steps:

• Whisk together the flour, eggs, 1/2 cup milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Continue whisking until you have a smooth batter. Add the remaining cup of milk and stir well to combine. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill the batter for at least 30 minutes or several hours.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Just before you are ready to make the crepes, whisk in the melted butter. The batter should be the consistency of heavy cream; if it is too thick, add milk slowly while whisking constantly until it is the right texture.
• Heat a 9-inch non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. Melt a teaspoon of butter in the pan or spray with vegetable spray and heat the pan until a drop of water "dances" across the surface.
• Using a ladle or a measuring cup with a lip, pour about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the batter into the pan. Hold the pan with 1 hand and pour the batter in with the other. Swirl the pan while pouring so that the batter covers the pan thinly and evenly for each crepe. Pour off any excess batter. Try not to leave any holes. After the first few crepes you will know exactly how much batter your pan will hold.
• Cook the crepe over medium-high heat until the edges turn brown, about 15 seconds. Flip the crepe using a small spatula and your fingers. Cook on the second side for another 10 to 15 seconds. The second side will not be as evenly browned as the first side. Remove the pan from the heat and invert it over a warm plate to stack the crepes. Keep warm until ready to use. Continue making crepes with remaining batter, adjusting the heat as needed.
• If not using immediately, place a square of waxed paper between each 1, place in a resealable plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. Crepes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for several months. Reheat uncovered in a low oven (250 degrees) for 15 minutes or until warm. Fill with your favorite filling.

KATE'S BASIC CREPES

Steps:

• First, combine the flour, eggs, salt and oil in a large bowl so you have plenty of room to whisk and combine these ingredients well. Then add about a quarter of the milk and mix till smooth.
• When it is smooth, add the balance of the milk all at once and mix gently until you have achieved a homogenous batter --NO LUMPS (Sans Grumeaux!).
• Then let the batter sit at room temperature for at least half an hour -- Now your batter is ready.
• Heat your skillet or, if you are lucky enough to have one, your crepe pan, add oil or butter or a combination of both--just enough to give the pan's surface a sheen, and add just enough batter to make a very thin veil across the pan.
• Then, using a spatula, carefully turn your crepe once it begins to brown around the edges and cook it on the other side.
• When it is lightly browned on both sides, remove it from the pan and lay it on a warm plate.
• Repeat the process, stacking your crepes one on top of the other.

FLORENTINE CHEESE CRêPES

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup flour and salt in medium bowl. Add eggs, melted butter and 1/2 cup milk; whisk until blended. Let stand 30 min.
• Spray heavy 8-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat on medium heat. Pour 2 Tbsp. batter into skillet; tilt skillet to evenly cover bottom of skillet with batter. Cook 1 to 2 min. or until bottom of crêpe is lightly browned. Run spatula around edge of crêpe to loosen from skillet; turn crêpe. Cook 1 min. or until bottom of crêpe is lightly browned. Remove from skillet; set aside. Repeat with remaining batter to make 7 additional crêpes.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Melt 1/4 cup butter in medium saucepan on low heat. Stir in remaining flour. Cook and stir 2 min. or until bubbly. Gradually stir in remaining milk until blended. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook on medium-low heat 2 to 3 min. or until thickened, stirring constantly. Add Parmesan; mix well.
• Combine spinach and Swiss cheese in medium bowl. Add 1 cup cream cheese sauce; mix well. Spoon about 1/4 cup spinach mixture down center of each crêpe; roll up. Place, seam sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining cream cheese sauce. Sprinkle with paprika.
• Bake 25 to 30 min. or until heated through.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE CREPE (IHOP'S COPYCAT)

Steps:

• Combine flour, milk, eggs, butter and salt in a bowl. beat until all the flour lumps are gone. the consistency will be like thin pancake batter. set aside.
• Sauté chicken and garlic on butter until golden brown.
• Pour in milk and cream of chicken. simmer. reduce to low to medium heat.
• After simmer, put the spinach and cheese inches keep stirring until the cheese completely melts. salt and pepper to taste. make sure the bottom wont stick. keep simmering until the sauce is reduced.
• While the chicken is simmering, start cooking the crepes. in a lightly greased skillet, pour about 3 tbsp of batter and spread it as thin as possible. do not flip. in about 1 minute, check the bottom side of the crepe if light brown. cook only one side of the crepe or else it will be crunchy.
• By the time you're done with the crepes, chicken should be done too. pour about 3/4 cup of chicken on each crepe on the center. wrap each side. top lightly with parmesan cheese.