Pancake Day 2019: Recipes from apple and bacon crepes to cornmeal pancakes with chorizo
Don't limit yourself to just lemon and sugar, there's a whole world of pancake recipes to explore, and no one knows where to start better than Sue Quinn
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Your support makes all the difference.Onion, apple, bacon and comté crêpes
The combination of the nutty cheese, soft, sweet onion and sharp apple is a French classic that makes a gorgeous light lunch – it’s kind of a pancake tart.
Time: 1 hour
Serves 4
3 tbsp olive oil, plus an extra splash
600g (1lb 5oz) onions, chopped
leaves from 1 thyme sprig
pinch sea salt flakes
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper
4 rashers smoked back bacon, chopped
1 crisp red apple
100g (3½oz) Comté, grated (Gruyère or even Cheddar would be fine)
4 crêpes – ½ quantity
Crêpe batter (see below)
1 tbsp melted butter
Line a baking sheet with baking paper and set the grill to high. Warm the oil in a large frying pan and add the onions, thyme, and salt. Fry gently for about 15 minutes, until soft and starting to turn golden. Stir in the garlic, season with black pepper and fry for a couple of minutes more. Transfer to a bowl, then wipe out the pan.
Return the pan to a medium–high heat, add a splash of oil, and cook the bacon, until starting to crisp at the edges. Pull the pan off the heat and pour out all but 1 tablespoonful of the oil. Finely slice the apple, then gently toss with the bacon over the heat.
Place a crêpe on the prepared baking sheet and spoon one-quarter of the onion mixture into the middle, leaving a 2-cm (¾-in) border. Top with one quarter of the bacon, apples, and Comté, pressing down slightly to flatten just a little. Fold over the crêpe border to make a square, pressing down to keep it in place.
Brush the folded edges with butter. Repeat with the remaining crêpes. Place under the grill and cook for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the edges of the pancakes are crisp and golden.
French crêpes
Time: 50 minutes, plus 30 minutes resting
Makes about 10 x 15-cm (6-in) crêpes
130g (4½oz/1 cup) plain (all-purpose) or wholemeal plain flour
1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar (omit for savoury recipes)
½ tsp sea salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
300ml (10fl oz/1¼ cups) whole milk
1 tbsp butter, melted and cooled melted butter or vegetable oil, for frying
This basic crêpe batter will form the basis of many a delicious feast. The batter will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Alternatively, cook the crêpes, layer them between sheets of greaseproof paper, and freeze them in a plastic food bag for up to one month.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt, and make a well in the centre. In a jug, whisk together the egg, milk, and melted butter. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the well and whisk, incorporating the flour as you go, to make a smooth batter. Don’t overbeat or the crêpes will be tough.
Leave to stand for at least 30 minutes. The batter will thicken over this time, so stir in 1–2 tbsp cold water before cooking.
Heat a non-stick frying pan or crêpe pan over a medium heat and when hot enough – a sprinkle of water should hiss and sizzle – brush with butter or oil. Pour 60ml (2fl oz/¼ cup) batter into the pan, quickly swirling the pan to cover the base. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the edges of the crêpe look dry and the underneath is golden. Loosen the edges with a palette knife, flip, and cook for a further 1–2 minutes.
Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve the crêpes immediately or layer them between sheets of greaseproof paper and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Alternatively, keep warm for a few minutes – any longer and they may dry out – in a 100°C/225°F/¼ oven, layered between sheets of greaseproof paper.
Eggs and bacon with spring onion pancakes
Possibly the ideal breakfast for the morning after the night before, these require just a little effort for rolling – but are well worth it.
Time: 1 hour, including 30 minutes resting
Makes 4 pancakes
For the pancakes
300g (10oz/2½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
½ tsp sea salt flakes
about 300ml (10fl oz/1¼ cups) freshly boiled water
toasted sesame oil, for brushing
60g (2oz) finely sliced spring onions (scallions), white and green parts
4 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying,
plus extra if needed
4 slices smoked back bacon
4 eggs
olive oil, for frying
Place the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and gradually pour in the boiling water, stirring as you go, to form a ball of sticky dough. Tip out onto a lightly floured work surface and briefly knead until smooth. Place in a bowl, cover with clingfilm, and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough into four equal pieces and roll into balls. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out one of the balls into a 25-cm (10-in) circle. Keep the unused balls under a damp tea towel to prevent them drying out. Brush generously with sesame oil and scatter over one-quarter of the spring onions. Roll into a sausage and then curl around into a tight spiral. Roll out the snail into a 20-cm (8-in) circle. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add one of the pancakes and cook for 2 minutes, pressing down with an egg slice to flatten a little.
The pancake should be sizzling in oil, so if the pan looks a bit dry, add a splash more. When the pancake is golden underneath, flip and cook for a further minute. Transfer to the oven while you cook the remaining pancakes.
Heat a chargrill pan over a high heat, add the bacon and cook without moving until the fat turns golden. Turn over and cook until done to your liking. Keep warm in the oven with the pancakes. Using kitchen paper, wipe the pan used to cook the pancakes and fry the eggs in a little olive oil to your liking. To serve, top a pancake with an egg and a bacon rasher and fold over.
Cornmeal pancakes with chorizo and tomato salsa
Time:1 hour
Serves 6
1 tbsp olive oil
150g (5oz) cooking chorizo, cut into small chunks
For the pancakes
200g (7oz/11⁄3 cups) fine cornmeal
1 tsp sea salt flakes
400ml (14fl oz/1¾ cups) hot vegetable stock
1 egg, lightly beaten
300ml (10fl oz/1¼ cups) freshly boiled water
3 tbsp olive oil
For the salsa
2 avocados, peeled and chopped
250g (9oz) ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 large red chilli, seeded and finely sliced
1 tbsp lime juice, or more to taste
1 small bunch coriander (cilantro), chopped
Tabasco sauce, to taste
Creamy polenta is turned into golden pancakes here, served with a punchy salsa and nuggets of crispy chorizo. It makes a hearty brunch. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chorizo until starting to crisp and the spicy oil has been released. Transfer the chorizo and oil to a bowl and set aside. Wipe out the pan using kitchen paper.
To make the pancakes, place the cornmeal, salt, stock, and egg together in a pan and simmer over a medium heat, stirring constantly for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is very thick. Pull the pan off the heat and stir in the freshly boiled water to make a thick, smooth batter that will just drop off a spoon.
Heat a tablespoon of the oil in the frying pan used to cook the chorizo. Drop in large spoonfuls of the polenta mixture, spreading it out a little to make 8-cm (3-in) pancakes. Cook for 4–5 minutes on each side until golden – don’t try to turn them too early or they won’t hold together.
Add more hot water to the cornmeal batter as you go to maintain the right consistency or it will become too thick.
Transfer the pancakes to a 150°C/300°F/gas 2 oven to keep warm. For the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Serve two pancakes per person, topped with the chorizo and its oil, and the salsa.
'Posh Pancakes' by Sue Quinn (Quadrille, £12.99) Photography © Faith Mason
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