Former reality show contestant whips up Crepes Suzette
By Metro Creative
Crepes are beloved by people of all ages. Those who want to give their guests a true palate pleaser can cook up the following recipe for “Crepes Suzette” from “Fire in My Belly” (Andrews McMeel) by Atlanta native and former “Top Chef” contestant Kevin Gillespie.
Crepes Suzette
Makes 6 servings
2 large eggs
¾ cup milk
½ cup water
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus a little extra for brushing the pan
1 cup citrus butter sauce (see below)
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving
1. Combine the eggs, milk, water, Grand Marnier, and vanilla extract in a blender and blend quickly to combine. Add the flour, sugar and salt and blend until smooth. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in the melted butter. Strain the batter through a fine-mesh strainer into a 4-cup measuring cup and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Remove the batter from the refrigerator and whisk for 30 minutes to reincorporate the hardened butter; you can also use a handheld immersion blender.
3. Melt about two more tablespoons of butter for brushing the crepe pan.
4. Heat a cast-iron skillet or nonstick crepe pan over medium heat. If using a cast-iron pan, brush the pan with melted butter and pour off any excess. Using a 2-ounce ladle or small measuring cup, pour and swirl the batter onto the hot pan in one motion. You want to add the batter and then immediately tilt the pan and swirl the batter around the bottom to get a thin, even coating of batter. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the top of the crepe is dry and the edges are just starting to curl and brown, about 1 minute. Carefully loosen the edges all around with a rubber spatula, then peel the crepe from the pan with your fingertips and quickly flip it over; cook the other side for 30 seconds. Don’t worry if your first crepe doesn’t come out perfectly; chefs call it the sacrificial snack (enjoy!). As you cook the crepes lay them out flat on a piece of parchment or wax paper, with a piece of parchment or wax paper separating each crepe. You may have to cut the heat down a little as you work; adjust the heat so that each crepe turns golden brown on the bottom side just as the top side becomes dry and no longer shiny.
5. Make the Citrus Butter Sauce, then set the sauce-filled skillet back on the stove over the lowest possible heat. Fold each crepe into quarters with the browned side on the outside. One by one, place the crepes into the sauce and baste to coat. About 4 crepes will fit into the pan at one time.
6. Use a flat spoon to transfer two crepes onto each serving plate. When all of the plates are served, spoon a little extra sauce over each serving. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Citrus Butter Sauce
Makes about 1 cup
2 navel oranges
2 lemons
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons amaretto
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
1. Using a Microplane zester, zest 1 tablespoon of orange zest and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and set aside. Squeeze the oranges to get ½ cup juice. Squeeze the lemons to get 3 tablespoons juice.
2. Spread the sugar in a 10-inch skillet and add the water. Cook over medium-high heat, swirling or shaking the pan often but not stirring with any utensils. Sticking a utensil into the melted sugar will cause it to start crystallizing, which you want to avoid. Cook over medium-high heat with a brief shake or swirl now and then until the mixture starts to caramelize and turn light gold, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Pull the pan completely away from the heat and pour in the amaretto and Grand Marnier. This is going to flame up a lot, so stand back. Flame (flambé) the alcohol by returning the pan to the heat and slowly tilting the pan away from you toward the open flame; if you’re working with electric heat, light a long match and touch it to the alcohol. The alcohol will flare up, but don’t be scared off; it will die down and burn out in about 20 seconds. When it does, cut the heat down to medium, and add the salt, orange juice and lemon juice to the pan, swirling to combine. The melted brown sugar will seize up and harden; that’s alright — the juices will heat up and the caramel will gradually melt into the sauce. Swirl the pan often and cook the sauce to a shiny, glossy syrup, 5 to 6 minutes. Pull the pan from the heat and swirl in the almond extract, orange zest and lemon zest. Piece by piece, swirl in the butter cubes until completely melted.
