Copper fastening our friendship. Cooking Crepe Suzette for the Don.

A few posts ago, I mentioned that I would give you the background to my collection of beautiful Castle brand copper saucepans. They are no longer made and now have a scarcity value. Apart from their obvious brass handled beauty, they are excellent saucepans. Recently, the Wife’s uncle Don mentioned that he had a box of Castle brand pots languishing under the stairs. He offered them to me. With what, on reflection, was pretty blunt acceptance, I managed to get my greedy hands on the collection.

As is the way, a couple of days passed and guilt set in. I really had to do something to show my appreciation. There is a lovely saute pan in the set and I thought that perhaps cooking Crepe Suzette would be the thing to do. Invitations were dispatched and a meal was arranged. In the interim, I had another clandestine call from the Wicklow Hunter. This meant that to start, we would have slow roast leg of venison. Our desert was to be the French classic. I went online to search out the recipe. As is so often the way, I found numerous different variations on the theme. Most involved making a sticky sauce that could be poured over the crepes and then flambéed for show. Not being afraid of a good flambée, I decided to try this approach and see how I got along. I won’t bore you with the results. In short, a gloopy sauce, a waste of Grand Marnier and pathetically, no flames.

It was time to go back to basics. Back to Larousse Gastronomique. For many, Larousse Gastronomique is the definitive guide to cooking. I was amazed that their Crepe Suzette recipe was so totally different to pretty-well all the rest. I decided to give it a go.  First, my ingredients shot.

I thought it best to stick the book in there too as it is their recipe anyway!

My version differs from theirs in that they suggest using Curaco as the spirit. I had spent the average industrial wage buying the Grand Marnier for the failed gloop attempt and was not prepared to let the family go hungry to buy the Curaco.

You will need for the pancakes

• 250 grammes of plain flour
• 3 free range eggs
• 250 ml of milk
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of Curaco or Grand Marnier
• Juice of a Clementine

You will need for the butter 

• 50 grammes of butter
• 30 grammes of caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon of Curaco or Grand Marnier
• Juice and zest of a clementine

First mix the eggs, milk and flour to make a batter.

Beating the batter. There is very little work in creating this French classic.

Then add the Grand Marnier, olive oil and juice of a clementine  to the mix and beat in. Let this stand for two hours.

It seemed very odd adding the extra ingredients to the batter but it worked.

To make the butter, mix the ingredients together and work them into a buttery mess (That’s what I did, not Larousse. They suggest combining the  ingredients. I could not get it all to bind).

There was a fair bit of mixing and working to get this lot to blend together.

Heat a pan and fry thin crepes.

You know it’s time to turn the crepe when lots of little holes appear.

When cooked, butter each one with the butter mix, fold into quarters and keep warm as you fry more. The pan does not need to be oiled. Wipe it clean between crepes with a paper towel.

The crepes release a lovely aroma while frying. (Note the lovely pan.)

When you have enough to satisfy your hoard, you can quickly reheat them in the pan and serve them topped with a bit more of the butter.

The finished dish ready to serve to the diners. Note my shot styling – Food, wine and a book!

This is a pretty special desert. I served mine with a bottle of Royal Tokaji, a top quality  Hungarian wine that has been hanging around the house for the past decade. A perfect partner for the crepes, even if the wine might have been at it’s best a year or so  ago.

A pretty special bottle of this excellent wine. Perfect to celebrate with the Don.

I think we did this classic recipe justice on the evening. I know I will get many more evenings of pleasure using the copper and brass saucepans. The Don will be in my thoughts every time I do. Thanks Don.