A New Breakfast Buffet For A New Year

posted December 24, 2006
  by Amy Powell, Real Meals In Minutes

There is something about watching a very big apple drop that causes Americans to plan big parties or big trips in anticipation of that life-changing moment when one Western Calendar year passes into the next. For anyone who remembers Y2K, however, such high expectations often come hand in hand with a bit of disappointment, or at least a sense of anti-climax. You may think, in that midnight moment, that you felt a tangible tingling sensation that could only be your connection to the earth’s getting officially another year older. I would suggest that the real reason for your tingling might lie in that glass of bubbly and in the lips of the eager fellows lining up for a New Year’s kiss.

Whatever the highs and lows of the night before, the morning brings with it a new day, and a new year. New Year’s Day is a time for Rose Parades, Rose Bowls, and rosy-cheeked friends and family yawning off the festivities of the night before. In my experience, those too young or too smart to have imbibed in the bubbles are usually the first to the kitchen and the first to the TV to catch those computerized, hydraulic, flower-covered floats crawling down Pasadena. But if you're like me, you might have foolishly bought into the hype of the night before (again), and would be lucky to see even the second half of the parade broadcast. Last night was just last night, but your memories of Perrier Jouet and pounds of cocktail party puff pastry seem somehow distant.

The point is, family and friends in various states of excitement and recovery are unlikely to get up at the same time on New Years Day. And those who do get up early enough to make breakfast might be too engaged or hungover to make breakfast for the rest.

At some point in my childhood, my family started making crepes for New Year's. It started one year at the home of my best friend Janna, whose crepe maker, with its concave top perfectly designed to heat flat, round pancakes in under two minutes a piece, had always intrigued me. Back at my family’s home the next year I convinced my mother that we too, should make these paper thin pancakes, rolled and filled with such healthy toppings as maple syrup, confectioner’s sugar, and strawberry jam. So we did and it was a delicious, crowd pleasing, mess of a New Year’s breakfast.

Two years in a row makes something a tradition--doesn't it?--so like our annual New Year’s Eve kid tournament of “Hide-and-go-seek-in-the-dark,” I was determined to make crepes part of the deal. My mother thought the whole mess was too time consuming but I managed to persuade her that crepes, are in fact, the perfect solution to the lazy New Year's morning breakfast.

The keys to a successful, and fast, New Year's crepe buffet are as follows:

1. All the ingredients for the batter are literally whizzed together in a blender in less than five minutes.

2. Since the batter needs time to rest, it is the perfect make-ahead meal, as in you can make it before you go out the night before when you actually have the energy and hydration to do so.

3. Fillings are at the discretion of the individual, ranging in difficulty from straight out of the bottle sweet syrups to savory cheeses or meat fillings.

4. With ingredients prepped and a batter whipped up, the crepes can be made and filled to order, allowing a timely, a la minute breakfast for everyone.

Another year has come and gone. A warm filled crepe will ease the grumpy stomachs and groggy memories of the previous night's revelries, wiping a clean slate for a new year and another New Year’s Eve to come.

Ricotta and Lemon Filled Crepes with Gingered Cherry Sauce Recipe
http://www.cdkitchen.com/


Serves/Makes: 6
Ready in: 30-60 minutes

* 3 eggs
* 1 cup milk PLUS
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 cup flour
* 3 tablespoons melted butter
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 pound frozen cherries
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 1 piece (2 inch size) ginger root
* 1 orange
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 1/2 cup cottage cheese
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* 1 lemon
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine first five ingredients in blender. Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill at least 30 minutes or over night.

In a medium saucepan, combine cherries, water, and sugar. Peel ginger root with the edge of a teaspoon. Cut into four pieces and add to cherries. Using a vegetable peeler, peel two large pieces of orange rind and add to cherries. Stir in salt. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove orange peel and ginger root.

In a small bowl combine cornstarch and two Tbsp. cold water. Stir to combine. Add slurry to cherries. Return to a boil stirring gently. Boil for 1 minute. Serve immediately or make ahead of time and serve at cold, reheated, or at room temperature.

To make crepe filling, in the bowl of a food processor combine ricotta, cottage cheese, the zest of 1 lemon, honey and black pepper. Blend to smooth. This too can be made ahead of time.

To cook crepes, preheat a crepe pan or 10 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Brush lightly with oil. If using a crepe pan, fill plate with crepe batter and dip pan into batter to coat. Cook for about 1 minute per side just until batter is set. If using a skillet, add about 1/4 cup batter to pan, swirling pan to evenly coat bottom. Cook about 1 minute per side just until set. These can be made ahead or to order.

To assemble, spread 2 T. cheese filling into 1 crepe. Roll like a burrito. Top a couple of T. of cherry sauce. Recipe serves 2-3 rolled crepes per person.

©2008 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction of this article may be made without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.

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