This coming Tuesday is alternately known as Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day. It is the last day in the Traditional Christian Calendar before Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday. So here is my addition to the countless enteries popping up across the web for this day.
It is a day for using up all the things which would not keep over 40 days, which were forbidden by custom to be consumed during the lenten fast–meats, butter, eggs and other dairy. It has become the spectacle which is Mardi Gras, but in there is still a great tradition whether you are Christian or not–making savory and sweet pancakes.
These are not the Flapjacks which Americans usually think of when one says "pancake", but are more like French Crepes. They were and are the perfect vehicle for using up eggs, milk and butter with the economical addition of flour. These days it is popular to fill them with raspberry jam and sprinkle confectioner’s sugar over them, or to eat them with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkling of sugar. However, in the spirit of using things up and still making something delicious I think we should dig deeper in our pantries and create some more interesting fillings–for dinner and after.
In the UK it has been a tradition since 1445 to have a race on Pancake Day involving flipping a pancake over several ropes tied above the racer’s heads as the racers run along. Originally limited to women in traditional dress, I believe it is open to both sexes now. The race originated when one woman was running late for the Shrove Tuesday service and ran all the way to the chapel still in her apron and kerchief with skillet in hand.
Here are a few easy, favorite recipes for your Pancake Day Celebration:
Basic Pancake Recipe:
8 ounces All Purpose Flour
a large pinch of Kosher Salt
2 large eggs
2 1/2 cups of milk
2 ounces melted butter
vegetable oil for the pan
Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl. Whisk the eggs into the milk and stir into the flour and salt. Mix in the melted butter. Let sit for at least a half an hour, but 45 minutes is better.
Meanwhile preheat a small non-stick skillet or 10 inch crepe pan. Swirl a drop or two of vegetable oil on the pan. Add two tablespoons of the batter to the pan and swirl the pan about to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook over medium heat for 30 seconds and then snap the pan down on the range, or counter, to loosen the pancake and flip. Cook on the second side another 15–20 seconds. Remove the pancake to a plate and repeat until the batter is finished. You can stack the pancakes up as you go.
Bacon and Mushroom Filling:
Saute 4 ounces of chopped smokey bacon until lightly browned. Add 1/2 an sliced onion and cook until the onion is soft. Add 1 handful of sliced mushrooms and saute until they are cooked and fragrant. Add a good dollop of Bechamel Sauce and take off the heat. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Fresh chopped thyme is a good addition.
Place a few tablespoons of the filling in a pancake and roll it up. Place these rolls in an oven-proof dish. Cover with more of the Bechamel and bake in a 425 degree oven for 30 minute or until the top is browned. (This can be topped with some fresh bread crumbs and chopped parsley)
Bechamel Sauce:
2 ounces butter
2 ounces flour
1 cup milk plus extra
Melt the butter in a small sauce pan and immediately stir in the butter without pause. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking all the while, until the roux is smoothly mixed in. Cook over low heat until thick. Season with salt and pepper.
Banana Toffee Pancakes:
2 tablespoons butter
2 bananas, peeled, thickly sliced
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the sliced bananas and toss to coat. Saute until lightly browned. Take a pancake and fold in half. Add some of the sauteed bananas to the pancake and fold into a quarter. Allow two or three pancakes per person. Pour toffee sauce over the pancakes and serve with whipped cream, if desired.
Toffee Sauce:
3 ounces butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Rum
3/4 cup heavy cream
Heat the butter with the sugars and rum. Stir while everything melts and is thick. Whisk in the cream and cook over medium heat until the cream is fully incorporated. Do not allow to boil or the sauce will separate. Set aside.
