2193. EGG and BACON BUCKWHEAT CREPES

makes 4 servings


a 1/4-pound piece slab bacon
vegetable oil for brushing skillet
Buckwheat Crêpe Batter (recipe below), half reserved for another use
4 large eggs
2 cups coarsely grated Gruyère (about 8 ounces)

Buckwheat Batter
makes 8 crêpes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buckwheat flour
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
3 large eggs

In a small saucepan cook butter over moderately low heat until golden brown with a nutlike fragrance. (Bottom of pan will be covered with brown specks.) Into a bowl sift flours and salt. In another bowl whisk together milk, eggs, and brown butter. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, whisking until smooth. Chill batter, covered, 30 minutes.


Cut bacon into strips about 1/8 inch wide and 1 inch long. In a skillet cook bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until golden and crisp and transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Preheat broiler.

Brush a 10-inch non-stick skillet lightly with oil and heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Remove skillet from heat. Working quickly, stir batter and fill a 1/4-cup measure. Pour batter into skillet, tilting and rotating skillet quickly to cover bottom. Cook crêpe over moderately high heat until bottom is golden and top appears almost dry, about 1 minute. Turn crêpe over and break 1 egg onto center. Sprinkle one-fourth Gruyère and one-fourth bacon over egg and season with salt and pepper. Fold in edge of crêpe to form a square, leaving egg exposed, and cook about 30 seconds. Slide crêpe from skillet onto a large baking sheet.

Make 3 more crêpes with remaining batter, eggs, cheese, and bacon in same manner, brushing skillet lightly with oil before cooking each crêpe. Broil crêpes 4 to 5 inches from heat until egg whites are set, about 30 seconds.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Gourmet, August 1997