The expression "Shrove Tuesday" comes from the word shrive, meaning "confess". It is the day before Ash Wednesday, which symbolises the beginning of lent and people would make pancakes to use up their stocks of milk, butter and eggs which were forbidden during the abstinence of Lent. I have to admit though, that I just like pancakes, and will be using Shrove Tuesday as the perfect excuse to make some:- lots of them in as many different varieties that I can! When trying to find some treat recipes I stumbled across these offerings from Waitrose.
Baked Pancakes with Spinach, Cream and Gruyère
100g plain flour
2 eggs
200ml whole milk
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
50g unsalted butter
1 tbsp sunflower oil
400ml whipping cream
A pinch grated nutmeg
50g gruyère, finely grated
Filling
40g unsalted butter
300g spinach, washed and dried, stalks removed
200g button mushrooms, in 3mm-thick slices
50g gruyère
Method:-For the pancake batter, put the flour in a mixing bowl, make a well and crack the eggs into it, then season. Whisk the eggs, incorporating the flour little by little. Thin the mixture with a little milk, then gradually pour in the rest of it, whisking continuously. Add the herbs. Separately, heat the butter in a small pan until golden and foaming, then add it to the batter, whisking all the time. Reserve in the fridge until needed.
For the filling, melt 20g butter in a frying pan on a high heat and throw in the spinach. Cook, stirring all the time, for 2 minutes; season. Drain and chop the spinach; reserve. On a high heat, heat the remaining butter and cook the mushrooms for 2 minutes. Season. Mix with the spinach and stir in the Gruyère. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Have ready a spatula, and a tray to place the pancakes on once cooked. Heat an 18cm frying pan over a medium heat, and add 1 tsp oil. Swirl the oil around. (If the pancake batter has separated, give it a whisk.) Add just enough batter to the hot pan to cover the surface when swirled. Cook for 15–20 seconds. Slide the spatula underneath and flip the pancake over. Cook for a further 15–20 seconds. Repeat until all the batter is used up – you should have 8 thin pancakes.
Divide the filling between the pancakes, roll up tightly and place in a gratin dish. Bring the whipping cream to a rolling boil, add the nutmeg and season. Pour the cream over the pancakes and scatter the cheese over the top. Bake the pancakes for 20 minutes until golden.
Read the original recipe here
Sweetcorn and red onion pancakes with sweet chilli dipping sauce
You Will Need:-
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Cooks’ Ingredients Red Chilli, seeded and chopped
50g caster sugar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 essential Waitrose Sweetcorn Cobs
100g self-raising flour
2 medium eggs, separated
3 tbsp semi-skimmed milk
1 small red onion, finely chopped
20g pack fresh coriander, chopped
Method:-
Place the garlic, chilli, sugar and vinegar together in a small pan and add 100ml water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3–5 minutes until the chilli is soft and the sauce reduced by half. Remove from the heat, then pour into a small dish and leave to cool. Cook the corn cobs in a pan of boiling water for 5–6 minutes until the corn kernels are tender. Drain and scrape the sweetcorn from the cobs using a sharp knife.
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl with seasoning. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the egg yolks and milk together and whisk into the flour to make a very thick batter. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff and then fold into the batter.
Fold the corn, onion and chopped coriander through the batter mixture. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the pan and cook for a minute or two on each side until golden. Keep warm on a plate in the oven while you cook the rest. Serve garnished with fresh coriander and the dipping sauce
Read the original recipe here
Apple and cinnamon pancakes
25 g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 medium egg
125 ml semi skimmed milk
2 English Apples, peeled, cored and cubed
1 tbsp caster sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
15 g butter
4 tbsp Bonne Maman Confiture de Caramel
Method:-Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Make a well in the centre, then add the egg. Gradually beat in the milk, bringing in the flour from the edges to make a thick smooth batter. Set aside.
Toss the apple cubes in the sugar and cinnamon. Melt half the butter in a small non-stick pan. Add the apple and cook for 1–2 minutes until golden.
Brush a non-stick frying pan or griddle with the remaining butter, heat over a medium flame, then place a few of the apple cubes on the pan. Drop 1 tbsp of the batter on top. Cook for 2–3 minutes until bubbles burst and the underside is golden. Turn the pancake and cook for 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining mixture while keeping the pancakes warm in a low oven. Serve with the caramel sauce and scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Read the original recipe here
These all sound absolutely delicious, I will be definitely be trying these out! Don't forget that all the ingredients are available from your nearest Waitrose store or online. Check out their special pancake page with tips and videos on how to make them perfect!
L x
L x
