I have had some duck prosciutto in the fridge for a few weeks now. We enjoyed curls of it with some chopped cornichons on buttered toasted baguette rounds for aperitif. I shaved it over roasted fingerling potatoes, added a mustardy vinaigrette and made a salad for L.'s school lunch one day. I have one more round of it left and I wanted to do something interesting with it; a dish that would be a last huzzah of sorts to winter flavors.
Mushrooms came to mind and crêpes, made with whole wheat flour and oats - earthy tastes before all the new and exciting flavors of Spring hit the markets. I actually think that the end result was more of an autumnal dish - I could see stuffing the crêpes with oozy cheese and mashed pumpkin before proceeding with the recipe as is - but I think it came into being because I miss one of my favorite signs of Spring that does not seem to occur in California, the deep, loamy smell of rich earth after the first Spring rain. Look at me waxing euphoric over a season change!
Internet research came up with some ideas but nothing quite hit the spot so, as per usual, I have taken a base recipe and run with it (after tsk-tsking at the idea that anyone would put baking powder in crêpes; millions of French grandmothers are turning over in their graves..) L. and I had this as a main course but I think it would make a really interesting appetizer, as long as you have a small pan - like a blini pan - and could make mini crêpes (mostly for aesthetic reasons) as I was not pleased with my main course presentation.
I have attached the recipe that got me thinking below but I really went in a different direction. I wanted a smooth pancake not a lumpy one so used dried mushroom powder instead of fresh mushrooms in the batter. The earthy crêpes, additional mushrooms with garlic butter for additional impact, the prosciutto and the sour cream seemed like a really good combination but a bit flat, which is why I added a parsley salad dressed with a sharp vinaigrette to liven things up a bit. L. opted out of the duck prociutto at the last minute and requested eel instead which worked, as would regular prosciutto or jambon de Bayonne or even crumbled bacon.
Recipe
Crêpes
(Makes 2 crêpes per person)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 2/3 cups milk
2 eggs
3 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
Melt the butter in a large non-stick pan until it is golden brown. Set aside to cool. Save the pan to cook the crêpes.
In a large bowl, measure out all of the dry ingredients. Beat the eggs and the milk together and then add them to the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter (reserving the additional tablespoon to use to cook the crêpes), mix again. You should have a batter that is the consistency of heavy cream. Set it aside for an hour for the gluten to rest.
When ready to cook the crêpes, heat the pan well and brush with a little melted butter. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and swirl to coat the pan evenly, add a bit more if needed. Keep in mind that the first crêpe never works out. Cook until the batter is set and begins to dry on top, about a minute. Flip crêpe and cook other side until just browned, about 1 minute more. Transfer to a plate. Continue making crêpes, brushing the pan with more butter as needed. Keep in a low oven while you assemble the rest of the dish.
Parsley Salad
1 cup of whole Italian parsley leaves, washed and removed from the stems
1/2 shallot, cut into thing crescents
1 Tbsp capers
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/8 cup lemon juice
Whisk the walnut oil and lemon juice together. Use to dress the remaining ingredients. Set aside while you prepare the mushroom garnish and assemble the rest of the components to the dish.
Mushroom Garnish
1 cup assorted chopped mushrooms
1 Tbsp butter
1 clove of garlic, smashed and peeled
Salt
Add the butter and the garlic to the pan in which you cooked the crêpes. Melt the butter over low heat so that it will become infused with garlic flavor.
Add the mushrooms and some salt and cook until the mushrooms are cooked through and have given up their juices. Check for seasoning.
Assembling the Dish
Fold the crêpes in quarters. Top with some sour cream, 1/4 of the parsley salad, 1/4 of the mushroom garnish and some duck prosciutto or whatever charcuterie you have decided to use.
Recipe inspiration, here.