Cook's Catalyst - Chapter 9 - The Lowly Pancake Arrives

Chapter Nine The Lowly Pancake Arrives Eggs stretch pancakes into something special. Some call them crepes. I call them lifesavers when you need an elegant meal or dessert on a budget. You can stuff them or flambee them with equally dramatic results. My mother was asked to prepare a breakfast for a bishop after a Confirmation ceremony. She wanted to impress the bishop for the sake of her pastor. She decided to make crepes as a high point of an already formal breakfast. It went well. She marched in with the flaming platter aglow, covered it with a flourish to extinguish the flames. The sweet smell of the 100-proof brandy was soon joined by the smell of singed hair. When she lifted the lid to serve, the brandy flames proved rather more stalwart than anticipated. The flames made a last uprising and gave my mother's eyebrows and hair a quick redo. No burns, just a bit of humility. For an ordinary evening, dispense with the flame thrower and be circumspect with the brandy. You can, however, combine four eggs, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon of milk and a pinch salt. The batter should be thin but not watery. It is easier to work with if made an hour or two before you need it. You will need a non-stick frying pan with low sides. Heat the pan and drop in a bit of butter. When it is bubbling, pour in only enough crepe batter to very thinly cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for a minute and carefully turn over and lightly brown on the other side. You want them golden, not stiff. Stack between sheets of waxed paper while you make the rest. You should get about eight crepes. The recipe is easily doubled or tripled. You now have your beautiful crepes ready. Once you get the hang of coating the batter in the hot pan, this will go quickly. Now decision and invention time. Do you want a dessert or main course? A peek in the refrigerator will give you the parameters you have to work with! For an easy dessert, the thin pancakes can be coated with a layer of a favorite jam. Fold each one in half and half again to form a triangle. Arrange imaginatively on a serving platter and dust with powdered sugar. For an interesting dessert, fold the crepes as described. Arrange on a serving platter, each one overlapping a bit. Mix together the juice of a lemon, an orange and a tablespoon of brandy. Dribble the mixture over the crepes and sprinkle with granulated sugar. A few twists of orange zest will put you over the top in the chef's competition! You now have the completed the basic crepes but need a savory course, not a dessert. Make a filling of either leftover, diced chicken or canned tuna. Sprinkle with pepper, salt and dried dill. Add some grated cheese, your choice. You can add some canned chiles, salsa, diced bell pepper, crumbled bacon, or shredded carrots. Combine mixture with a raw egg or two. Fill each crepe, roll up and placed in a greased baking dish. Squeeze them all in and top with more cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately thirty minutes. Serve with a big salad since you have successfully cooked your starch with the meat! My mother liked to top it with some canned, mushroom soup before baking. Think about tastes and give free reign to your ideas. For an ordinary, run-of-the mill, hurried morning, plain pancakes will probably serve your purpose. Simple Pancake Recipe 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour 6 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoon sugar 2 large egg 4 tablespoons oil or melted shortening 2 cups milk Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and oil (or shortening) and milk. Mix well. Grease griddle or large frying pan. When hot, pour batter, about 1/4 cup at a time. When it bubbles, turn over an cook other side. Makes about 24 medium pancakes. If you are fortunate enough to possess a waffle iron, this recipe works perfectly for that, too. Waffles always seem to taste different because of their crispness. Remember that besides being a breakfast treat, fruit and whipped cream will make it welcome after a light dinner. It will be light on the budget, too!