Crêpes des Légumes et l'Agneau au Vin Rosé

Mixed Veggie Crepes and Lamb Braised in Rose Wine

As a kid, on the weekends I would beg my mom to make "rolled-up pancakes": crepes stuffed with sour cream and brown sugar. After my first visit to France, I learned that crepes could also be savory, so I began to experiment. This is one of the better results. On their own, these crepes are tasty. But with the herb-infused lamb, these slightly sweet crepes are spectacular.

Don't be afraid of crepes- you do not need a special pan to make crepes. A non-stick or well-seasoned pan will do just fine. I have a fancy 12 inch crepe pan, but my mom always uses an 8" frying pan seasoned for frying eggs.

The recipe for the lamb was inspired by a recipe in the Provence Cookery School by Gedda and Moine.

Servings: 2
Time: 60 minutes

Crepes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp light oil (I used sunflower, but canola or olive would be fine)

I made the crepe batter first so it could rest in the fridge for a while. I usually use a whisk to get the lumps out of the batter, and it helps to leave some time for the bubbles to rise.

First I put the flour in a mixing bowl. Then, I mix all the other ingredients in a 2-c liquid measuring cup in order: First milk and cream, then salt and sugar, then eggs. I use the whisk to mix this together. Finally, I add the oil while I am mixing. I add the liquid to the flour and mix thoroughly (i.e. no lumps!). The key to crepe batter is the consistency- it should be quite thin. If it's too thick, add milk; too thin, add flour. Sometimes it takes a couple "test crepes" to get the consistency right. These "test crepes " taste great with Nutella.

I began heating my crepe pan as the veggies were finishing. Heat your pan for crepes to medium-high, add a little butter, then add some batter to just cover the bottom of the pan. After it browns, flip over and lightly brown.

Lamb
2 boneless lamb chops
2 tbs olive oil
1/2 bottle rose wine
2 twigs of rosemary (4 tbs dry?)
2 bay leaves
2 juniper berries
1 1/2 inches of dried orange peel (I'm sure you could substitute fresh)
1/2 tsp salt

I used a medium pot to cook the lamb. Heat the oil to medium-high and brown the meat, a few minutes on each side. (My lamb was frozen, which is no problem with this recipe.) Remove the lamb and deglaze the pan with rose wine. Add rosemary, bay, juniper berries, and orange peel. Bring the wine to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer for 15 minutes, reducing the liquids by about half. After 15 minutes, remove the rosemary, bay, juniper berries, and orange peel. Add back in the lamb and cook covered for about an hour.

Veggies
1 carrot
1/2 red pepper
2 c. green beans
1/2 medium zucchini
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
2 tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

While the braising liquid is simmering, I julliened the carrots, shallots, zucchini, and red pepper into 2 inch strips, maybe 1/4 inch wide. I cut the carrots pretty thin. About 1/8 inch.
I wanted the veggies soft, not browned, and to all finish cooking at the same time.

Heat the oil to medium heat. Add the carrots and salt. After a few minutes, add the red pepper. After a few more minutes, add the green beans, garlic and shallots. Finally, after a few more minutes, add the zucchini. Cook until all the veggies are soft and remove from heat.

Assembly
After I cooked the crepes, I placed them on a large plate, filled them with veggies, and rolled them up like burritos. I placed 5 stuffed crepes in a baking dish, sprinkled cheese on top, and placed under the broiler until it was golden brown and delicious.

I placed two crepes on the plate with a piece of lamb. I drizzled a spoonful of the braising liquid over the lamb. Probably could have reduced the liquid into a nice sauce… maybe next time. Also, a dollop of crème fresh or sour cream on the crepes could be nice.