It is that pancake time of the year again, but these are two pancakes that you can enjoy at any time.
Easter is that bit later this year, so if you are going to give up something for Lent then Tuesday is your last chance. The origin of pancakes is that they were a great way to use up rich foods like eggs, milk and sugar before the 40 days of Lent began.
I often enjoy pancakes plain with just a little butter and lemon. But if you want to make a treat of it, the butterscotch sauce is hard to beat. Do bear in mind that there is a calorie or two in there somewhere though.
Pancakes make a very good vegetarian meal or snack during the year. With the mushrooms, onions and leeks, the potato pancake makes a very satisfying meal. It is one of those meals I go back to often. You can make the potato pancake batter two hours in advance and keep it covered with clingfilm in the fridge, ready to cook when needed.
Happy cooking.
Potato Pancake with Crème Fraîche and Mushrooms
Serves 4
Potato pancakes:
2 eggs125g (4½oz) self-raising flour75g (3oz) cooked mashed potato (leftovers are fine)225ml (8floz) milk2 tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs (such as parsley and chives)2 spring onions finely choppedSunflower oil, for fryingMushroom and leek topping:
50g (2oz) butter100g (4oz) mixed mushrooms, sliced (such as chestnut, shiitake and button)2 baby leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and thinly slicedMaldon sea salt and freshly-ground black pepperCreme fraîche, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/gas mark 4) and put in a large non-stick baking sheet to heat up. To make the pancakes, sieve the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and break the eggs into it. Gradually pour in the milk, beating continuously. Add the cooked mashed potato with the herbs. Season to taste and mix well to form a smooth batter, similar in consistency to single cream.
2 Heat a thin film of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan. Ladle in a quarter of the potato pancake batter and cook over a medium heat for about one to two minutes on each side. Using a fish slice, transfer the pancake to the baking sheet and cook for another six to eight minutes until risen and set. In the meantime, start cooking the remainder. Keep warm.
3 Make the mushroom and leek topping, add the butter to the pan that you’ve cooked the potato pancakes in and then tip in the mushrooms, leeks and spring onions. Sauté over a low heat for five minutes until just tender and cooked, then season to taste. Spoon the mushroom mixture into the centre of warmed serving plates.
4 Place a pancake on each warmed serving plate and spoon over the mushroom mixture. Add a spoonful of crème fraîche to each one to serve.
Banana and butterscotch pancakes
Serves 4
100g (4oz) plain flourPinch of salt1 egg300ml (½ pint) milk25g (1oz) butter, meltedSunflower oil, for cooking3 bananas1 lemon, halved and pips removed50g (2oz) toasted hazelnuts (optional)Butterscotch sauce:
150g (5oz) caster sugar120ml (4fl oz) cream40g (1 ½oz) butter¼ vanilla pod, seeds onlyIce-cream or cream to serve
1 To make the butterscotch sauce, place the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan with 150ml (¼ pint) of water. Bring to the boil and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the cream, butter and vanilla seeds and mix well to combine. Stir over a low heat to a thick consistency and keep warm.
3 For the pancake, sift the flour and salt together. Beat the egg into the milk and whisk into the flour. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Add the melted butter.
2 Warm the pancake pan and add enough oil to cover the base. Tip some batter into the pan and tilt the pan so that the mixture covers the base in a thin layer. Cook for 15 to 20 seconds, until golden brown. Flip over and cook the other side. Keep warm.
3 Peel the bananas and then cut into thick slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Put a pancake on a plate and drizzle over some butterscotch sauce. Arrange the bananas on top, drizzle some more butterscotch sauce over it and sprinkle with some toasted nuts, if desired. Fold the pancake in half.
4 Serve with a dollop of cream or a scoop of ice cream. CL
It is that pancake time of the year again, but these are two pancakes that you can enjoy at any time.
Easter is that bit later this year, so if you are going to give up something for Lent then Tuesday is your last chance. The origin of pancakes is that they were a great way to use up rich foods like eggs, milk and sugar before the 40 days of Lent began.
I often enjoy pancakes plain with just a little butter and lemon. But if you want to make a treat of it, the butterscotch sauce is hard to beat. Do bear in mind that there is a calorie or two in there somewhere though.
Pancakes make a very good vegetarian meal or snack during the year. With the mushrooms, onions and leeks, the potato pancake makes a very satisfying meal. It is one of those meals I go back to often. You can make the potato pancake batter two hours in advance and keep it covered with clingfilm in the fridge, ready to cook when needed.
Happy cooking.
Potato Pancake with Crème Fraîche and Mushrooms
Serves 4
Potato pancakes:
2 eggs125g (4½oz) self-raising flour75g (3oz) cooked mashed potato (leftovers are fine)225ml (8floz) milk2 tbsp chopped fresh mixed herbs (such as parsley and chives)2 spring onions finely choppedSunflower oil, for fryingMushroom and leek topping:
50g (2oz) butter100g (4oz) mixed mushrooms, sliced (such as chestnut, shiitake and button)2 baby leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and thinly slicedMaldon sea salt and freshly-ground black pepperCreme fraîche, to serve
1 Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/gas mark 4) and put in a large non-stick baking sheet to heat up. To make the pancakes, sieve the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and break the eggs into it. Gradually pour in the milk, beating continuously. Add the cooked mashed potato with the herbs. Season to taste and mix well to form a smooth batter, similar in consistency to single cream.
2 Heat a thin film of the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan. Ladle in a quarter of the potato pancake batter and cook over a medium heat for about one to two minutes on each side. Using a fish slice, transfer the pancake to the baking sheet and cook for another six to eight minutes until risen and set. In the meantime, start cooking the remainder. Keep warm.
3 Make the mushroom and leek topping, add the butter to the pan that you’ve cooked the potato pancakes in and then tip in the mushrooms, leeks and spring onions. Sauté over a low heat for five minutes until just tender and cooked, then season to taste. Spoon the mushroom mixture into the centre of warmed serving plates.
4 Place a pancake on each warmed serving plate and spoon over the mushroom mixture. Add a spoonful of crème fraîche to each one to serve.
Banana and butterscotch pancakes
Serves 4
100g (4oz) plain flourPinch of salt1 egg300ml (½ pint) milk25g (1oz) butter, meltedSunflower oil, for cooking3 bananas1 lemon, halved and pips removed50g (2oz) toasted hazelnuts (optional)Butterscotch sauce:
150g (5oz) caster sugar120ml (4fl oz) cream40g (1 ½oz) butter¼ vanilla pod, seeds onlyIce-cream or cream to serve
1 To make the butterscotch sauce, place the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan with 150ml (¼ pint) of water. Bring to the boil and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the cream, butter and vanilla seeds and mix well to combine. Stir over a low heat to a thick consistency and keep warm.
3 For the pancake, sift the flour and salt together. Beat the egg into the milk and whisk into the flour. Let it rest for 30 minutes. Add the melted butter.
2 Warm the pancake pan and add enough oil to cover the base. Tip some batter into the pan and tilt the pan so that the mixture covers the base in a thin layer. Cook for 15 to 20 seconds, until golden brown. Flip over and cook the other side. Keep warm.
3 Peel the bananas and then cut into thick slices. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Put a pancake on a plate and drizzle over some butterscotch sauce. Arrange the bananas on top, drizzle some more butterscotch sauce over it and sprinkle with some toasted nuts, if desired. Fold the pancake in half.
4 Serve with a dollop of cream or a scoop of ice cream. CL
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