Friday, October 20, 2006

Old Town Fiesta, Part II

La Crêpe Michel
www.lacrepemichel.com
400 San Filipe NW (Patio San Filipe Del Norte)

• Crêpe Aux Fruits De Mer (Shrimp, bay and sea scallops in velouté with mushrooms)

A slight detour from southwestern fare, La Crêpe Michel is traditional country french bistro. The sample menu featured both sweet and savory crêpes though when I was brought the menu it only included savory (the dessert menu has the sweet.) I chose to go with seafood figuring that I probably would not be encountering much seafood this day. The crêpe was light and stuffed full of shrimp and scallops...maybe even too much. I was hoping to taste a little more of the crêpe. Just as a note, this crêpe was simply folded over once.

Crêpes are a little foreign to me even though I grew up eating palacinka, the eastern european version of a crêpe. Palacinka are rolled and crêpes are folded seems to be the broad distinction. My mother always filled them with cottage cheese sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

My favorite "crêpe" is one I made for folks at work...Strawberry Goat Cheese Mousse Palacinka.

Strawberry Goat Cheese Mousse Palacinka

Crepes
4............eggs, large, beaten
.5 tsp....salt
2 cups..milk
2 tsps....sugar
2 cups...Flour, all purpose, sifted
clarified butter
water

Filling
1...........strawberry for garnish
3...........Strawberries for filling
8 oz.......Heavy Cream
12oz......Chevre

Coulis
1/2 qt....Strawberries
1/4 cup..sugar
1/4 cup..water


Mix flour, salt and sugar. Combine well-beaten eggs and milk. Add gradually to flour mixture beating to a thin smooth batter. Pour 1/8 cup of the batter on a hot buttered skillet. Batter must be very thinned and smooth.

Fry on both sides. (*Tip; Watch the edges and when they are lightly browned, then it's time to flip the cake.) Continue this until all batter is used. Stack on warm plate.

Filling: Dice strawberries and reserve. Blend heavy cream and chevre until smooth.

Coulis: Dice strawberries, add sugar and water and cook over medium heat until well blended.

Contruct: Lay crepe flat, spoon thick line of cheese mixture down center and sprinkle with diced berries. Roll crepe and cover with stream of coulis from squirt bottle. Top with sliced strawberry garnish.

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