Wednesday, August 21, 2013

NEW RECIPE: Philly Cheesesteak Crepes

© Constantine William Spyrou

One of my favorite food crazes that has started to go across the nation in various forms is the filled crepe. At UC Davis, this craze has run rampant with two great crepe places close to or on campus that you can get delicious, made-to-order crepes filled with anything from Feta cheese to curry sauce to artichokes. Crepes don't just have to be made for sweet food, they're great for savory food as well, and provide a warm, soft fluffiness to a dish that just takes it to the next level for me. 

I decided I wanted to put something into a crepe that I hadn't seen done before. With tons of combinations that I've tried and seen going through my head, I stumbled across a discovery while driving back towards my home. In this small plaza near my house is a Cheesesteak shop, and I remember that as I drove past and thought: Why not put a Philly Cheeseteak into a crepe? 

This Philly cheesesteak is my personal favorite type of cheeseteak, so it's got a lot of my ingredients and favorite things in it that may not be in a normal cheeseteak - or a crepe for that matter, since the batter has roasted garlic and herbs inside of it. However, it still is very close the original and provides a great flavor and overall crepe experience! 

Recipe will make around 8-10 crepes.

For the Crepe Batter: 

1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter (plus extra for the pan)
1 pinch of salt and black pepper
1 clove of roasted garlic (To make this, take a bunch of garlic cloves, submerge them in olive oil, and roast at 400 degrees F for 45 minutes or until the garlic is soft)

For the Cheesesteak Filling:

2 1/2 pounds ribeye of beef, thinly sliced
1 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced jalapenos
2 cups diced bell peppers
1 1/2 cups chopped button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups diced white onion
4 cloves of roasted garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon dried basil
Salt and pepper to season

Cooking/Assembling:

1. Combine all of the crepe batter ingredients together in a food processor. Blend until smooth and chunkless, then place in a pitcher and leave in the fridge for a couple of hours to get rid of any air bubbles in the batter.
2. To cook the crepes, rub some melted butter into the pan (for each crepe, you need to do this). Place a tiny amount of batter into the pan (no more than 1 ounce), and swirl around so the pan is fully coated and the crepe is extremely thin. Flip after about 30 seconds, and cook on the other side until golden brown. Take the crepes off and let them cool (they can be stacked).
3. In a hot pan, add some olive oil, the bell peppers, mushrooms, onion, and jalapenos. When the vegetables are sweated down and the onions turn translucent, add the beef and mix around. While cooking, make sure to break up the beef into smaller pieces by chopping it while in the pan with your spatula or cooking equipment. Add the spices and roasted garlic.
4. When the meat is fully cooked, add the cheese over the top and let melt. Place about 4 ounces of the mixture into each crepe, and fold the crepe up to enclose the filling. Enjoy!

This is a quick, easy, yet delicious recipe that blends together French and American cuisine in a brand-new way.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know what you think and what you would change. If you make it at home, let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! =) 

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