Buckwheat Crepes Stuffed with Mushrooms and Chicken

Lately, I have been dreaming of crepes. Ones swimmig in orange sauce, rolled in strawberry jam or sprinkled with sugar and lemon. I dream on. Resisting their siren song with strong resolve, I turn to an alternative recipe and since my mood calls for a crepe of sorts, I decide to make a savory one with a mushroom and cheese filling. A trusted old cookbook, The Joy of Cooking  gives up an easily whisked crepe recipe. One made with buckwheat. Anything made with buckwheat flour is always such treat for me. 

Having made blinis before I know theses crepes will turn out savory, nutty, full of flavor. A little preplanning is called for, as the batter needs to sit for an hour before you can make the crepes. That gives me plenty of time to make the filling. Butter, onions, garlic, white wine, mushrooms and some cooked chicken sizzle joyfully in a pan. Crepes are swirled in butter, with the easy twist of the wrist. Resting the batter makes them light, airy, perfectly riddled with small perforations and golden brown edges. I top them with sauteed mushrooms. A huge helping of Swiss and Gruyere cheese blankets the veggies. Folded over crepes go into a hot oven. Dinner crisps up nicely.

BUCKWHEAT CREPES STUFFED WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHICKEN

Serves 2

1/4 cup Buckwheat Flour

1/4 cup all purpose Flour

1/2 cup Milk

1/3 cup Water

1 large Egg

1 tablespoon Canola Oil

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Slivers of Butter for making crepes

FILLING

2 tablespoons Butter

1 small Onion

3 cloves Garlic

1 cup sliced Mushrooms

1/2 cup diced cooked Chicken

3 tablespoons White Wine

1/4 teaspoons Kosher Salt

A few grinds of Black Pepper

1/4 cup chopped Parsley

1 cup mix of grated Swiss and Gruyere Cheese

Put all ingredients except butter in a blender or processor and blend a minute or so till smooth.

Pour batter into a bowl, cover and let batter sit for an hour. 

Start the filling by slicing onion very thinly.

Mince garlic.

Heat butter in a saucepan.

Add onion and garlic to sizzling butter. Saute till tinged with brown.

Add sliced mushrooms and let them brown evenly. It will take a few minutes of undisturbed cooking.

Add cooked chicken.

Splash the wine in, letting it bubble for a minute. 

Season with salt and pepper.

Add parsley just before you are ready to use the filling. This way it keeps it's freshness and flavor.

Heat an 6-inch nonstick pan over medium heat. 

Add a thin sliver of butter and swirl to melt.

Pour 2 heaped tablespoons of batter and turn the pan so the batter covers the entire surface of the pan. Start by turning the pan to the right, then left and right again. The first crepe is the experimental one so don't worry if this isn't quite perfect. The second one is always better. 

Let the crepe cook on one side for a minute and a half, then flip it over and cook for 30 seconds on the second side. Remove to a plate.

Add another sliver of butter and repeat till you have finished the batter. You should have 4-6 crepes. 

Heat oven to 300F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Divide the filling into four portions.

Place a crepe on parchment.

Pile half the crepe with mushrooms.

Top with 1/4 cup of grated cheese and fold over. 

Repeat with the other three crepes.

Place sheet in oven for 15 minutes.

Eat the crepes while they are warm and toasty.

NOTES

Leftover crepes can be eaten with  sour cream and smoked salmon.

Buckwheat flour is available at specialty stores. I use the brand shown below.

Crepes could be made using any device. I prefer a nonstick pan. I have never used a crepe maker so I can't really tell you how those would turn out. 

Slivers of butter are very important to the taste and texture. Do not stint.

These crepes could be assembled a few hours earlier and reheated just before serving.

A quiet evening calls for a simple dinner. I rustle up an apple and arugula salad. Some leftover hasselback potatoes round out the meal. G likes this innovative crepe. I'm thrilled. This experiment is going to be around for a while. Nothing "crepetic" about this meal at all !!!

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