Cornmeal Crepes With Figs And Pears Recipes

CORNMEAL CREPES WITH FIGS AND PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread pistachios on a small rimmed baking sheet; toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, 6-8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop; set aside.
• Meanwhile, whisk egg, milk, flour, cornmeal, sugar, vanilla, salt, and 1/4 cup cream in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Heat a 10" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lightly coat skillet with butter and add 3 tablespoons batter, swirling to cover the bottom of skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until edges turn golden and center begins to puff, about 2 minutes. Using a heatproof rubber spatula, loosen edges and then, using your fingers, flip crepe and cook until bottom is dry and set, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining batter, coating skillet with butter between crepes.
• Beat remaining 1 cup cream to soft peaks. Serve crepes folded, topped with whipped cream, pears, figs, and pistachios and drizzled with honey.

JACQUES TORRES'S CREPES WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using a whisk attachment, mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Using a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean in half. Add the vanilla seeds, flour, citrus zests, and half of the milk and mix on medium speed until well incorporated. Add remaining milk and cream, continue to mix until the crepe batter is smooth and homogenous. If the batter is lumpy, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve. Grease an 8-inch nonstick crerpe pan (a nonstick frying pan will also work) with about 1 teaspoon of the butter and place over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, wipe away any excess butter with a paper towel. Then pour a small amount of crepe batter, about 2 tablespoons, into the pan and tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly. The batter should barely cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until it browns around the edges, about 30 seconds. Use a large spatula or pancake turner to gently flip the crepe and cook for another 30 seconds. Adjust the level of heat as needed. The crepe should be thin, light, and unevenly browned. Slide the crepe onto a plate and continue to make crepes until all of the batter is used. If the crepes begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, butter the pan again.
• Crepes may be stacked directly on top of each other and stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days, well-wrapped. Cold crepes may stick together; warm the crepes slightly in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds on high power, or in a moderate oven to separate easily.
• To assemble the crepes, use a sharp paring knife to slice reserved vanilla pod halves into 3 strips lengthwise. If your vanilla bean halves are not wide enough to cut into 3 strips, just cut them in half lengthwise. These pieces will be used to tie the crepe bundles together. It is easiest to tie the bundles together if you have long, thin vanilla strips. Place 1 crepe on a clean work surface. Fill the center of the crepe with about 2 tablespoons of the caramelized pears. Fold the crepe in half so that it looks like a fan. Bring the ends of the fan towards the center and tie the bundle with a vanilla bean strip. Make 11 more crepe bundles. If you don't have enough vanilla bean strips you can just fold the crepes closed. Stand the crepe bundles upright in the center of the plates and serve.
• Peel, core and cut the pears into 1/2-inch-thick slices and then cut in half crosswise. Heat a large heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is warm, sprinkle the sugar into the pan in an even layer so it will caramelize at the same time. As soon as you see the sugar begin to melt, start moving the pan over the burner to keep the sugar from burning. Tilt the pan from side to side so that the melted sugar runs over the unmelted sugar. Cook until all of the sugar is a light golden grown. Add butter and cook until melted. Add pears and spread evenly in the pan. Pour in rum. Let cook over medium-high heat until most of the liquid has evaporated and the pears are soft but not mushy. They should hold their shape but the tip of a paring knife should easily pierce them. If the pears are still hard when most of the liquid has evaporated, add a few tablespoons of water and continue cooling until the pears are done. Pour the caramelized pears onto a plate.

JACQUES TORRES'S CREPES WITH CARAMELIZED PEARS

Steps:

• Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using a whisk attachment, mix on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Using a paring knife, slice the vanilla bean in half. Add the vanilla seeds, flour, citrus zests, and half of the milk and mix on medium speed until well incorporated. Add remaining milk and cream, continue to mix until the crepe batter is smooth and homogenous. If the batter is lumpy, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve.
• Grease an 8-inch nonstick crepe pan (a nonstick frying pan will also work) with about 1 teaspoon of the butter and place over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, wipe away any excess butter with a paper towel. Then pour a small amount of crepe batter, about 2 tablespoons, into the pan and tilt the pan to spread the batter evenly. The batter should barely cover the bottom of the pan. Cook until it browns around the edges, about 30 seconds. Use a large spatula or pancake turner to gently flip the crepe and cook for another 30 seconds. Adjust the level of heat as needed. The crepe should be thin, light, and unevenly browned. Slide the crepe onto a plate and continue to make crepes until all of the batter is used. If the crepes begin to stick to the bottom of the pan, butter the pan again.
• Crepes may be stacked directly on top of each other and stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days, well-wrapped. Cold crepes may stick together; warm the crepes slightly in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds on high power, or in a moderate oven to separate easily.

CORNMEAL CREPES WITH CHEVRE AND HOT PEPPER JELLY

Steps:

• Mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, cumin and cayenne in a mixing bowl or food processor. Add the milk, club soda, eggs and three tablespoons of the melted butter. Beat or process until blended and smooth. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• Heat a six- to seven-inch crepe pan over medium-high heat and brush it lightly with oil. Ladle a few tablespoons of batter into the pan and quickly tilt the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Cook until lightly browned on the bottom, about 30 seconds, turn the crepe and cook a few seconds more. Continue until all the batter is used, stacking the cooked crepes one on top of the other on a plate.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a baking dish with a little of the remaining melted butter.
• Place a slice of the chevre in the center of each crepe. Top with a teaspoon of the pepper jelly. Fold the sides of the crepe over the filling, making a small square bundle. Tie each with a blanched chive. Arrange the folded and tied crepes in a single layer in the baking dish. Drizzle with the remaining melted butter.
• Bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. If desired, the filled crepes can be prepared in advance and refrigerated until shortly before serving time, then heated.

CORNMEAL CREPES

Steps:

• Sift flour, polenta, salt amd sugar in bowl.
• Add eggs, milk and butter.
• Whisk until smooth. (Or use a blender).
• Leave the batter to stand for 1 hour.
• Heat extra butter in crepe pan.
• Cook batter 1-2 minutes.
• Makes 16 crepes.