Nothing beats a plate of carbohydrates after you’ve overindulged. If you’re going to try the starch cure after Derby you may as well do it in style with a fun crepe brunch. Every culture in the world has its take on crepes – I happen to like the French version best, and after all, we are in Louisville.
My husband and I sometimes serve crepes at other peoples’ parties, and frequently whip up a batch for ourselves. We’ve experimented with about a billion different crepe batters and have arrived at the most fool-proof version (an adaptation from the Joy of Cooking’s recipe, below).
Planning ahead is key for a crepe party. You can make the batter up to a day in advance; just add some more milk to thin it out, and stir well after it sits. Clear a space in your kitchen for a “filling station” Shoot for three varieties of fillings — I like to have two savory crepes and one sweet. At our (pre) Derby crepe brunch this weekend we offered:
-Asparagus, gruyere and sautéed morels (we used some of the stash we picked up at the Mountain Mushroom Festival the day before – you could use any meaty mushroom)
-Figs, brie and honey
-Strawberries and whipped cream
Before our friends arrived we completed all the prep — getting the shredding, slicing and cream whipping out of the way so we could just focus on cooking the crepes when they got here.
It’s fun to let your guests gather around the filling station and pick their toppings. The crepe chef, unfortunately, has to stay at his or her station the whole time. Pick your best cook for this job. Crepes can be a little tricky. Here’s how to do it:
Combine in a food processor until smooth:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup lukewarm water
4 large eggs (get the best eggs you can – ours come from Misty Meadows Farm)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
Cover with wrap and let stand at least 30 minutes. This is enough batter for about 10 crepes. Know that the first crepe almost never turns out. Give it to your dog or trash it.
To cook the crepes, heat a little butter in a medium, nonstick skillet. When the butter begins to color, lift the skillet off the stove and ladle in just enough batter to cover the bottom thinly. Now tilt and rotate the pan to spread the batter, and return to the burner. When it begins to bubble, carefully flip it with a thin spatula. It’ll finish quickly. Now add your fillings and fold over into a nice little pocket. Serve right away.
And if the carbs aren’t enough to cure what ails you, you can always revert to the time-honored trick, and serve mimosas with brunch.
