Bittman on savory pancakes

[Robin Garr]

This just went online ... looking at the format, it may be a preview of Sunday's NYT Magazine food piece.

In any case, it's all about little savory pancakes, with lots of ideas that are making me hungry. The part about the Madrid tortillita alone is worth the price of admission.

Note that the linked article contains a further link to recipes.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/08/magaz ... ntemail0=y

Very cool, Robin - thanks for that link.

I love little savoury mouthfuls with wine! Those look like they have possibilities. Make them to order while the guests stand around the kitchen cheering you on.

[Jenise]

It's a great idea! But I wonder if Mark is being completely frank about his inspiration. Almost anyone who has been to the Netherlands has experienced pankoek, the art of which entire restaurants are devoted to in a manner identical to pizza parlors. Thin rounds of eggy tasting egg-and-flour batter (exactly as he describes and eggier than a crepe would be, that is) become the support system for your choice of toppings, and each restaurant has a number of it's own specialties. All Mark has done is suggest a smaller size.

I'm going to try some today - but using mango with balsamic in the pancake and topped with creme fraiche. Will probably open a Kabinett to see how it goes with it.

Jenise - what do you think of a soupcon of fresh tarragon with mango for a herbal note (it was suggested with peaches)?

Also thinking maybe a Spatlese might work better....?

[Jenise]

I'm going to try some today - but using mango with balsamic in the pancake and topped with creme fraiche. Will probably open a Kabinett to see how it goes with it.

Jenise - what do you think of a soupcon of fresh tarragon with mango for a herbal note (it was suggested with peaches)?

Also thinking maybe a Spatlese might work better....?

I can't imagine what I wouldn't like about tarragon! I love tarragon with fruit. In fact, I love herbs with fruit. Basil with orange, for instance, and rosemary with plums. Yum! Cilantro, btw, is exceptionally good with mango, if you're a cilantro eater. A summer treat for us is mango/jack cheese/cilantro/raw jalapeno quesadillas, a combo I came up with while cooking for friends in Hawaii a few years ago. And I agree with the spatlese--you'll need the intensity to meet the mango head-on.

And I agree with the spatlese--you'll need the intensity to meet the mango head-on.

Thanks - have pulled a 2001 Richter Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese!

Did the pancakes using chopped mango, tarragon and balsamic vinegar and topped them with crème fraiche and more fresh tarragon. Interesting but not too strong flavours that worked perfectly with the Spatlese.

[Jenise]

Sounds good, Bill. Btw, is the tarragon from your garden--it's surviving this cold?

Tonight I gave the tortilla a try.

Using six eggs, I created three different tortillas for the two of us, but did them all separately as one-egg concoctions.

I made a shrimp and roasted red pepper tortilla, a grana padano cheese and Greek and Italian olive tortilla, and a kale and brussels sprouts tortilla, one of each for my wife and one of each for me.

Quick grilled some shrimp and cut them into small pieces, roasted a red pepper and sliced into small pieces; grated the cheese and sliced the olives, wilted chopped kale leaves and sauteed shredded brussels sprouts. Cooked up a chopped onion with three garlic cloves. Chopped parsley and grated some frozen lemon (we keep lemons in the freezer, which can be grated and used in many different ways in many recipes).

I mixed one egg with two tblsp of whole wheat flour and a touch of water in separate bowls six times. In two bowls I added half the shrimp and roasted pepper with some thyme, in two other bowls I added half the cheese and olives with some rosemary, in the final two bowls I added the kale and sprouts with some ginger. Each bowl also received a portion of the onion, garlic, parsley and lemon.

I cooked each tortilla as if it was a pancake.

Served with a Heron Hill Finger Lakes dry Riesling.

It was a fabulous, complete meal.