Buckwheat Crêpes with Smoked Salmon and Herbed Cheese

If you’re like me, you are always looking for a new hors d’oeuvre. No matter how many I have (and through the years I’ve probably collected hundreds) I am always on the lookout for something new.

I came up with this one in a crêpe class I was teaching on Zoom. I wanted an appetizer, entree and dessert made with crêpes. Although you can make these with any crêpe batter, I like the buckwheat batter the best because it is a little more robust.

I was so proud of myself for getting such good how-to photos when making the crepes, but then I realized that I forgot to show you how to cut them. I think you’ll get the idea when you look at the final products. You get to eat the end of each roll while cutting the center of the rolls into 3 or 4 diagonal slices.

To say they were a hit at my NYE party would be an understatement. I was so happy that everyone ate at least 4 or 5 pieces. I would say the recipe serves 8 with other appetizers and cocktails

If you do as I do and make the crêpes a day or 2 ahead, it’s really easy to fill and roll them.

This is my gift to you for the New Year. Have a healthy and happy one everyone and thank you so much for all your support. I hope to see you on Zoom or in person.

Much love,
Marlene

Mix spice cheese with enough sour cream to make a spreading consistency. Sprinkle with chopped green onions and chopped capers.

Cut smoked salmon into strips about 1-inch wide and arrange 3 of them on the cheese.

Roll up as tightly as possible and refrigerate tightly wrapped until firm, at least 4 hours.

Buckwheat Crêpe Batter
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup (40 grams) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (84 grams) buckwheat flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter 

 1.To make crepe batter: Mix all ingredients in food processor or by hand with a whisk until smooth.  Set aside for at least 15 minutes.

To prepare ahead: Batter may be refrigerated up to 2 days.

 2. To make crêpes: Stir batter well. Rub butter over the bottom and sides of an 8-inch skillet. Heat over medium high heat until hot.  Lift pan from the heat and pour a scant 1/4 cup batter into the bottom, while tilting the pan to allow the batter to cover it entirely.

 3.Cook about 1 minute or until the underside is golden. Gently insert a small spatula into one edge of the crêpe to see if the bottom is lightly browned, then turn it over and cook for 30 to 45 seconds.  Turn out onto a sheet of foil, putting one on top of the other. The first crêpe is usually a dud, so you get to eat it. If the batter is too thick, stir in 2 teaspoons water. Sometimes it will need even more water. The correct consistency will lightly coat the bottom of the pan when you tilt it.

 To make ahead: Crepes may be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature to separate. Buckwheat crêpes do not freeze well.

 Makes about 12 to 14 crêpes.

Buckwheat Crêpes with Smoked Salmon and Herbed Cheese
1 package (6 oz.) Herb and Spice Cheese (desired flavor)
About 4 to 6 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraiche
8 Buckwheat Crêpes
About 1/3 cup chopped green onions
About 1/3 cup capers, drained
8 to 10 ounces sliced smoked salmon or lox

 1.     In a small bowl, stir cheese with enough sour cream to make spreading consistency.

 2.     Lay one crêpe out on a flat surface. Spread with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons cheese. Sprinkle with green onions and capers; press in lightly.

 3.     Cut one slice of salmon into 1-inch strips. Lay about 3 strips on the crêpe, leaving 1-inch of space in between. Roll up tightly and repeat with remaining crêpes. Roll up tightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

To prepare ahead: Rolls may be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

 4.     Before serving, cut off lacy ends of crepes and diagonally cut crepes into 1-inch pieces, making 4 to 5 pieces per crepe.

 Makes about 40 pieces.

Smashed Potatoes

Here’s the holiday side dish you’ve been looking for. Smashed Potatoes.

Here’s the holiday side dish you’ve been looking for. Smashed Potatoes.

What’s in a name? I’ve been smashed and it’s nothing I’m proud of. My car has been smashed and I don’t even want to think about it. I’ve inadvertently smashed about anything you can think of, but until recently, I never smashed a potato.

In culinary terms, smashed is the word chefs use when they flatten boiled potatoes. I think lightly crushed would be a far better description. At least lightly crushed doesn’t sound like you’re taking out all your aggression on a helpless little potato.

Smashed has nothing to do with the taste and texture of these charming potatoes. After they are boiled, they are lightly flattened with a fork, potato masher or any flat object (I often use the bottom of one of my metal measuring cups) until they are a little less than 1/2 inch thick. They aren’t perfectly round, but they aren’t meant to be. Each has it’s own little personality.

Of course you can fancy them up with a dollop of creme fraiche, if you like, or maybe some grated Parmesan cheese. Like the basic black dress, these potatoes go with everything. Fish, meat, poultry, veggies, in fact, they are so good that sometimes I serve them with soup or salad instead of rolls.

Smashed Crispy Yukon Gold Potatoes

2 pounds small-to-medium red or yellow potatoes, scrubbed & rinsed
1 tablespoon kosher plus 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon + 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chives and/or green onion

1.    To boil potatoes: Place the potatoes in a large Dutch oven or soup pot. Fill with enough water to cover potatoes by 1-inch.  Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and continue cooking until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork (smaller potatoes take about 20 minutes, and medium 25 minutes). Drain and cool slightly.
To prepare ahead: Potatoes may be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

2.    To bake: Preheat the oven to 425 ºF.

3.    Brush the bottom of a large, rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Arrange potatoes on the baking sheet and using a potato masher or serving fork, gently smash each potato to about 1/2-inch thickness.

4.    Drizzle potatoes with remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. In a small bowl, stir together garlic powder, onion powder and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Sprinkle on potatoes.

5.    Bake until the potatoes are golden around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. For crisper potatoes, bake a little longer.

6.    Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.

CANDIED GINGERBREAD BITES

I just finished unpacking my last box from my move to Palm Dessert, and as exhausted as I am, I couldn’t let the holidays go by without sending you a favorite recipe.

Several months ago I attended a professional food society meeting where I knew very few people. I was asked to bring a dessert to sell for their fundraiser. I put my platter of gingerbread bites on the table with the other offerings and sat down for the luncheon.

After lunch I overheard people talking about a dessert they wanted the recipe for, but had no idea who made it. I was thrilled to learn that the buzz was about my gingerbread bites and happily obliged with the recipe.

The easiest way to garnish these gems is with whipped cream sweetened with a little powdered sugar, topped with a small piece of candied ginger. For the above mentioned occasion, however, whipped cream wasn’t a good option, so I made a cream cheese frosting instead. I’m including both variations with my recipe.

If you haven’t tried piping through a star tip, this is a great chance to start. Practice a few times on a sheet of parchment. It’s fun.

Bite-size desserts are definitely on-trend and these little jewels are ideal to serve with any pie or cake, take to a holiday party, or give as a gift.

I wish you the happiest Thanksgiving, dear friends. May you and your loved ones create beautiful memories around the table.

CANDIED GINGERBREAD BITES

1-1/4 cups  all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4  teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup (3 oz.) candied ginger, finely chopped (but large enough to see in batter)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
1/2 cup mild or unsulphered molasses
1 large or extra large egg
1/2 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 34 to 36 mini muffin tins. 

2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves.  Add salt and nutmeg and toss to blend.  Add chopped ginger and toss to coat completely.

3. Beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes   Add brown sugar and beat until smooth.  In a measuring cup, mix egg and molasses with a fork and add to butter mixture.  Mix until blended.  Mix in boiling water and mix on low until blended. On low speed, add the flour in 4 stages, scraping sides as needed. Pour into a 2-cup measuring cup.   Fill cavities of tins 3/4 full. 

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.  Cool 5 to 10 minutes and invert.   Turn right side up and cool on racks.

   Makes 34 to 36.

   Frosting Rosettes
   The gingerbread may be garnished with rosettes made by whipping 1/2 cup whipping cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar.  Pipe through rosette tip.

When whipped cream isn’t an option, you can make Cinnamon Cream Cheese frosting by beating 4 tablespoons butter with 6-oz. cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoons cinnamon until smooth.  If too thick, thin with a little milk.  Pipe through rosette tip.

A new chapter

Many of you have written asking what happened to my Zoom classes. I have had to take a break from teaching and blogging because we are moving from Foster City in northern California to Sun City, a 55+ community in Palm Desert, Southern California. We have sold our condo and purchased a lovely house with a fabulous kitchen overlooking a golf course.

Moving is one of the most stressful, and back breaking, things you can go through. It is amazing what you can find hidden in drawers and cupboards over 16 years in one place. As I write this, I am knee deep in packing boxes, selling furniture and donating clothes and cookware. I will be moving on November 9, 2022.

I am thrilled that you have joined my blog and plan to continue writing it along with teaching my Zoom classes once I’m settled. It’s difficult to think about teaching without my fabulous assistant, Kelly, but hopefully I’ll find someone new once I’m settled.

I appreciate your support in reading my blog, cooking my recipes and taking my classes more than you’ll ever know. I look forward to continuing our friendship soon.

Be well, be happy and remember that cooking nourishes the body and feeds the soul. I am sad that Iwill not be celebrating the holidays with you this year, but I hope yours are full of good times, love and great food.

I look forward to seeing you again in 2023.

Love,
Marlene

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

I don’t think I’ve made any cookie in my lifetime as much as I’ve made these.

Everyone who knows me knows I’d rather come up with a new recipe than repeat an old one. But these cookies are the rare exception. I make them every time I need to bring cookies anywhere and the reason is easy: everyone who tastes them, loves them.

That being said, they are also extremely easy to make. All you need to do is stir the condensed milk with the coconut, whip egg whites separately and fold them together. Food scientist, Harold McGee, says that egg whites beat just as well directly from the fridge as when they come to room temperature. That is is a time saving revelation and what I’ve been doing. No more standing around waiting for egg whites to get warm.

Tempering the chocolate

Helen Fletcher, the well known pastry chef whose blog is pastrieslikeapro.com has come up with an extremely easy way of tempering chocolate. The formula is 6 oz. of chocolate to 1 1/2 tablespoons shortening, such as Crisco. It is extremely important to not overheat the chocolate when melting it. Also, do not use a large bowl. Use a bowl that is a little bigger than the chocolate, anything too large makes it difficult to dip the cookies. Microwave the chocolate and shortening for 70 seconds at 50% power and stir well. It will probably need 10 to 20 more seconds at 50% power. The less heat and the more you stir, the greater the chances that the chocolate will remain satiny.

The cookies are truly simple to prepare. The time spent is melting and dipping them into chocolate. For those of you who like quick and easy. just skip the chocolate. The macaroon will still be delicious.

You can use either a tablespoon size scoop or a smaller 2 teaspoon scoop. Fill the scoop and put it batter side down on parchment and press down on it.

Melt the chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl with shortening until almost melted. Stir and if necessary, heat for 10 seconds at 50% power.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons

1 package (14 oz.)  sweetened shredded coconut
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, (This is needed if using Eagle Brand condensed milk. It is not needed in market brand milk., such as Safeway.)
2 large egg whites
Dash cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate (about 55 to 60% cacao), finely chopped or chips, melted with 1 1/2 tablespoons shortening at 50 % power for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds.  

1. Arrange the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees; line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and cornstarch until blended.

3.  In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites with the cream of tartar and salt until firm peaks form. Fold one third of the beaten whites into the coconut mixture to lighten it and then fold in the remainder.

4. Scoop tablespoon-size mounds of the mixture onto the baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Or, for smaller macaroons, us a 2 teaspoon size scoop. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes for large macaroons and 18 to 22 minutes for smaller ones, or until tops are lightly golden and bottoms are browned. . Shift the sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Transfer the baking sheets to racks and let the cookies cool completely. Remove from parchment.

5. Dip the bottoms of the macaroons into the melted chocolate, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Return the cookies to the lined baking sheets.

To make ahead: Macaroons can be kept at room temperature for several days, refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen.

Makes about 24. large or 32 small macaroons.

Buckwheat Crêpes with Smoked Salmon, Herb Cheese & Capers

Isn’t everyone always looking for new hors d’oeuvres recipes? I know I am. Well, I have a great one for you.

This one came about when I was teaching a class on crêpes recently. I forgot about how much I like them and how easy they are to make until I tested recipes for the class. Their versatility is endless. I taught basic crêpes, buckwheat, chickpea and lactose free. My fillings ranged from seafood, to chicken, to a variety of greens, to crêpe suzette filled with orange butter and flambéed for the finale. They ran the gamut from appetizer to entree to side dish to dessert.

The easiest is this appetizer crepe filled with everything you’d put on a bagel. Well, almost everything. I substituted chopped green onions for the red onion slices and omitted the cucumber, because they are too difficult to roll up in a crêpe.

First you make the buckwheat crêpes. Then you spread them with the spice cheese thinned with a little sour cream to make it more spreadable. Sprinkle on the green onions and capers, top with thinly sliced smoked salmon and roll up. The rolls are best refrigerated for at least an hour to allow them to firm up. Slice on a diagonal, put them out on a pretty platter, pour a glass of wine or a cocktail and you’re ready to party.

Buckwheat Crêpes with Smoked Salmon , Herbed Cheese & Capers

Buckwheat Crêpe Batter

2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup (40 grams) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (84 grams) buckwheat flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons melted butter

 Filling
1 package (6 oz.) Herb and Spice Cheese
About 4 to 6 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraiche
8 Buckwheat Crêpes, recipe follows
About 1/3 cup chopped green onions
About 1/3 cup capers, drained
8 to 10 ounces sliced smoked salmon

1. To make crepe batter: Mix all ingredients in food processor or by hand with a whisk until smooth.  Set aside for at least 15 minutes.
To prepare ahead: Batter may be refrigerated up to 2 days.

 2. To make crêpes: Stir batter well. Rub butter over the bottom and sides of an 8-inch skillet. Heat over medium high heat until hot.  Lift pan from the heat and pour 1/8 cup batter into the bottom, while tilting the pan to allow the batter to cover it entirely. The first crêpe is usually a dud, so you get to eat it. If the batter is too thick, stir in 2 teaspoons water. Sometimes it will need even more water. The correct consistency will lightly coat the bottom of the pan when you tilt it.

 3. Cook about 1 minute or until the underside is golden. Gently insert a small spatula into one edge of the crêpe to see if the bottom is lightly browned, then turn it over and cook for 30 to 45 seconds.  Turn out onto a sheet of foil, putting one on top of the other.

 To make ahead: Crepes may be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Buckwheat crêpes do not freeze well. Bring them to room temperature before trying to separate.

 Makes about 12 to 14 crêpes.

4. To make the filling:  In a small bowl, stir cheese with enough sour cream to make spreading consistency.

 2.     Lay one crêpe out on a flat surface. Spread with 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons cheese, covering the crêpe completely. Sprinkle with green onions and capers; press in lightly.

 3.     Cut one slice of salmon into 1-inch strips. Lay about 3 strips on the crêpe, leaving 1-inch of space in between. Roll up tightly and repeat with remaining crêpes. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

To prepare ahead: Rolls may be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

 4.     Before serving, cut off lacy ends of crepes and diagonally cut crepes into 1-inch pieces, making 4 to 5 pieces per crepe.

 Makes about 32 appetizers.