The glorious crepe
Recipe is good for any time of day
BY DAVID CAMPICHE
When I was 21, I was lucky to study in
Paris, France. The city was like an apple
bulging with mouth-watering opportunity
— a thing of beauty that speaks to your
good fortune.
Paris is a city of food but the perfection
of high cuisine began with Italy through
an aff air between political forces with the
marriage of Catherine de’ Medici to King
Henry II in the 16th century. The two coun-
tries gained stability and France gained
great food. De’ Medici brought her own
chefs and a cornucopia of fi ne recipes,
many of which remain beloved classics
centuries later. And therein lies the power
of well prepared food.
I met the crepe on these same streets.
The French brought us food carts and street
food. One of the country’s favorites is the
crepe, which is sweet or savory and always
a pleasure, whether served formally or
wrapped in paper. On a spring afternoon
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when Paris smells of food, perfume and
fl owers, one can stop and use a few bucks
to buy a crepe redolent with Grand Mar-
nier or brimming with savory treasures.
Back in the U.S., I discovered Uriah
Hulsey and his 1960s-style spot, The
Columbian Cafe. Like nearly everything
he touched, Hulsey mastered the crepe.
In the ‘70s, my wife, Laurie Anderson,
and I began to serve crepes as a breakfast
entrée at the Shelburne Hotel.
Here is her recipe. You will need a
well-seasoned crepe pan. Modern non-
stick crepe pans are also a special tool.
Like any omelet, there are many options
for fi llings. This crepe recipe is lov-
ingly fi lled with a French favorite: bécha-
mel sauce with ham and herbs. The crepe
remains a pleasure to prepare. It may take
a few tries to successfully fl ip the pan-
cake but stick with it and you will be
delighted — as will your guests.
Crepe (yields 14 servings)
Crepe batter ingredients
• Four large eggs
• 2 cups milk
• 2⁄3 cups water
• 1 1⁄3 cups unbleached white fl our
• 1 1⁄3 cups buckwheat fl our
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons melted butter
Preparation
Blend all of the above in a mixer for
10 seconds. Stop, scrape down and blend
fi ve seconds more. Cover and refrigerate
for two to 24 hours.
Gently stir batter. Pre-heat the crepe
pan over medium heat. Coat pan lightly
with butter. Pour ⅜ cups of the batter
onto a 9-inch or 10-inch crepe pan. Tilt
and rotate to coat the entire surface. Cook
for one minute, until the shine ends on
top and the edges start to brown. Flip,
then cook on other side about 15 seconds.
Turn the crepes onto a clean towel to
cool. Stack the crepes as you fi nish cook-
ing them. You may wrap them in a towel,
then plastic wrap and refrigerate for later
use. Reheat individually over a burner or
in crepe pan, or as a group wrapped in
foil and placed in a warm oven. I recom-
mend to eat them immediately.
Ham béchamel ingredients
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 4 tablespoons of fl our
• 2 cups of milk (one may add a splash
David Campiche
A crepe ready to be served, as a fi rst course or on its own. The crepe is a refreshing off ering for
breakfast, lunch or dinner.
of wine)
¼ cup of heavy cream
1 cup of diced ham, quarter-inch in size
2 tablespoons of minced parsley
1 tablespoon of minced oregano or tar-
ragon, or both
• ½ cup grated gruyere cheese
• A splash of hot sauce (optional)
• Salt to taste
Preparation
Melt the butter and slowly stir in the
fl our until you have a smooth roux. Just as
slowly, stir in the milk until the mixture is
•
•
•
•
silky and a bit thicker than the consistency
of heavy cream. Add the herbs, ham and
cheese. Salt. One might substitute a ½ cup
of white wine for a ½ cup of milk.
Pour the ham and béchamel mixture
into the center of the crepe shell and roll or
fold.
For a savory crepe, sprinkle some of
the herbs on top or even some parmesan
cheese. Serve immediately. A side of fruit
is nice. For a full breakfast, you may wish
to sauté some potatoes. A chilled Riesling
is the perfect accompaniment.