Mad, Tasty Science

Have I ever told you guys? How I've never owned a non-stick pan?

Well, this weekend, that long streak of teflon-free cookery was broken. And it's all because of this crepe recipe. Which, of course, I had to de-glutenize - so instead of flour, I used Bob's AP and Tapioca Starch, plus a tsp of xantham gum, and subbed vegetable oil for EB - but coconut oil would rule too (anyone noticed the love Coco oil's getting these days? so awesome).

So it's a different recipe. But the results are just as nom.

Oh yes, I tried with my trusty cast iron skillet. The one I've always, gleefully, laughingly made super-thin, delicate crepes with. But alas - things stuck, caramelized, adhered. And so I caved to the gods of Modern Cookware and bought me a pan.

They're just like regular crepes - except they're vegan, gluten free, and contain no refined sugars.

Nom.

Between the layers of crepey goodness, there's tons of strawberry agave jam and hazelnut carob sauce (a take on faux Nutella sans Chocolate via Veganland). Flavors were different, but enjoyable just the same. Abstinant but decadent. Awesome.

V,GF,NRS Crepes
makes 8-10 - double if making a crepe cake
de-glutenized from this recipe by VeganNumNum, amounts adjusted

2/3 cup Bob's All Purpose GF Flour
1/3 cup Tapioca starch
1/3 cup agave syrup (omit if using these for a savory dish)
Dash salt
1 tsp xantham gum
1 cup soy or almond milk
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil, melted EB, or coconut oil, warmed
1/2 tsp sugar-free vanilla essence (optional - this stuff can be hard to find)

Coco oil, for the pan (yes, use a little even on your non-stick, these things are CRANKY)

We're doing this in a blender, dears, so grab yours!

Dump it all in there and blend for 5 minutes, until everything is super incorporated. Check consistency - you're hoping for melted milkshake thickness. A good way to check - dip your finger in the batter, it should be coated to near-opaqueness with a thin, bubbly coat.

Chill your batter, covered, for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Warm your non-stick pan over medium heat and throw a 1/2 tsp of coconut oil in there, swish around. Grab a 1/3 cup measuring cup, fill it, grab the pan with your left hand, and pour at the top of the pan, swirling quickly, until the batter has circled and coated the entire bottom of your pan. If you didn't quite make it around, you might need to thin the batter just a little bit with more water/soymilk. You can also pour just a little more batter in, quickly, to repair the crepe.

It can be tricky getting the batter to coat the pan when using oil - but trust me, it'll prevent disaster. You'll get the hang of it after a couple, and any misshapen crepes can be hind in the midst of the cake!

Cook these guys at medium heat for 4-5 minutes on side one, another 2 minutes on side two. They will be browned on the first side - which is tasty and fine. They don't become chewy or crispy, as there's no gluten. Stack them on a plate as you go - no worries, they'll be fine.

I used about 1 1/2 cups of strawberry agave jam (2 large containers strawberries, juice of one lemon, 1/2 cup agave, simmered) and 1 cup agave-sweetened hazelnut spread. I dusted each layer with carob as I went, as well as over the top. And spooned the leftover, thickened strawberry syrup all over the place too.

Good. Can make healthy claims. Do try. Happy Late Easter!

Nyerd alert - stenciling with Tomato Powder!

I previously mentioned this new, silly trick I've been pulling occasionally - grabbing a doily, or some cool cut-out placemat and dusting savory things with tomato powder.

I took it to the next level for a friend of mine's going away party. She was moving to NYC, so I purloined Glaser's lovely logo, cut it out of a thick piece of paper, and went to town on a Crepe Cake glazed with a thick bechamel:

Yeah, that's what I thought to myself when I finished. "Wow. I'm a nerd."

Was thinking it, as I shot an in-process shot:

Still thinking it, when I took multiple views, for posterity:

It was a hit for the 6 seconds people stared at the thing before devouring it like a pack of wild, crepe-starved werewolves. Good times.

I found some spinach powder the other day, from the same source as the 'mater dust. If you'd like to try your own food stenciling, Frontier sells stuff online. Cheers!

How to Win Friends and Impress People (with Brunch)

Brunch. The best meal of the day.

Is it because it's early, usually on the weekends, that it can so easily become a mind-blowingly special meal? You haven't quite cleaned the Saturday Night Fever out of your eyes, your tummy's still mulling over the myriad of beverages you've consumed, but lo-and-behold, someone sets a pile of perfect Eggs Florentine in front of you, and you look around, wondering if this is as perfect as your life will ever be. I mean, how did someone poach an egg this early in the day? Amazing.

I happened across this recipe on that classiest of all recipe websites, Recipelink. Based on a Cordon Bleu feat from (obviously) the 80's, it calls for a pile of crepes, tomato-paprika concasse, and a mushroom-bacon reduction. I've altered the fillings and finishing glaze, and it is one of those amazing make-ahead dishes that shouldn't be make-ahead. It's also delicious.

Savory Crepe Cake

You'll need:

18-24 Crepes (I like this recipe - but if you have one you rely on, use it)
10 tomatoes, plum, sliced in half lengthwise
8 oz asparagus, frozen or fresh, minced
Pile of chives, chopped
Brie, one smallish hunk, cubed
Emmenthaler, approx 10 oz or 1.5 cups shredded
Parmesan, 1 cup shredded
Butter, 4 tablespoons
Flour, 4 tablespoons
Milk, 1.5 cups
2 eggs, separated

Do eeet:

Preheat your oven to 350f. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on a pizza pan or baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 1.5 hours.

As your 'maters are caramelizing, make your crepes. You can just pile them on a plate as you finish - they'll be ok. If you're nervous about sticking, you can separate them with parchment paper, but I've yet to have this issue.

Make the asparagus filling:

Saute your asparagus until it's soft and add a handful of chives. Continue cooking until the asparagus has a bit of brown on it. In a small saucepan, melt two tablespoons of butter, then add 2 tablespoons flour, and stir until the flour cooks to a light tan. Take the pan off the heat, pour in 3/4 cup of milk, return pan to heat, and whisk until the sauce thickens a bit. Add 1/2 cup Emmenthaler, the cubed brie, and stir until cheese melts. Add your asparagus mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.

Make the cheese glaze:

Melt two tablespoons of butter in another small saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons flour. Stir until the flour cooks to a light tan. Take the pan off the heat, pour in 3/4 cup of milk, return pan to heat, and whisk until the sauce thickens a bit. Add 3/4 cup Emmenthaler, 1/2 - 3/4 cup Parmesan, and stir until cheese melts. Take pan off heat and stir egg yolks in. Cover and set aside until ready to use, just before serving.

Make the roasted tomato filling:

Carefully chop your roasted tomatoes, removing some seeds but saving as much liquid goodness as possible. Season with salt, and if you so desire, about 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika. Set aside.

Assembly:

Butter a large baking dish with a cover (you want a dish that leaves about 1-2 inches on all sides of the crepe stack, to facilitate slicing and serving). Lay a crepe in the middle of the dish. Carefully spread 1 tablespoon of tomato filling to the near-edges of the crepe (it'll be thin, and that's ok). Cover with another crepe. Spread 2 tablespoons of asparagus filling over the crepe, and lay another crepe on top. Repeat until crepes and filling are gone (occasionally, I have leftover crepes - which is no problemo - because then it's crepesnacktime).

If you're cooling this to serve later, cover the crepe stack and stick it in the fridge, along with your separated egg whites and cheese glaze. You can make the stack and glaze up to 4 days in advance to delectable results.

Finishing:

Warm the Crepe Stack in a 350f oven for 45 minutes, take it out, and increase the the oven's heat to 400f. Gently warm your cheese glaze in the microwave or a small saucepan until it has the consistency of a thick dip. Stir in egg whites. Using a large spoon, spoon the glaze over the crepe stack, spreading it, until it starts to drip over the edge. Top with remaining 1/4 cup Emmanthaler and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the glaze has turned a golden brown.Let sit 5 minutes before slicing.

The end result is very cake-like: the golden exterior reveals layers of color when sliced. Serve with a fruit or savory salad (as pictured) as this is a heavy meal. Easily feeds six, 8 at a stretch. I'd love to figure out how to serve this from a cake stand one day, just for kicks. That would be pretty hot.