Paul Bunyan's Breakfast Makeover - Mapled Galette Flambé

For those not familiar with the Paul Bunyan myths, he was a ubber garmongous logger dude with a big blue ox named Babe, for a side kick. The point, for the purposes of this post, is that he always ate buckwheat flapjacks for breakfast...

This is my French spin on a logger's breakfast. It's actually my favorite thing to do with buckwheat crêpes. Cause I get to play with fire. Allow me a maniacal laugh.

Muah ha ha ha!

eh, hem.... Thank you... ;)

Lemme tell ya, Paul Bunyan never had it this good! I have never tested it myself, but this may even be a good hangover cure. You know, the "hair of the dog that bit ya". Although in this case, it may be the hair of the ox.

Mapled Galette Flambé

16 Galettes de Sarrasin (Buckwheat Crêpes)
1/2 cup Maple Syrup (grade B has better flavor when mixing with rum)
pinch of salt (yes, believe it or not)
2 TB Water
3 TB Meyers Dark Rum
3 TB Bacardi 151
Lemon Peel to garnish
optional - Broken Pecans or Walnuts

In a large skillet, heat Maple syrup, pinch of Salt, Water and Dark Rum until warm.

Meanwhile, in another skillet, heat crêpe 1 by 1, just until heated through.

Fold into a triangle and arrange carefully in the warm syrup, making sure to dip both sides in the syrup.

Once all the crepes have been added to the syrup, increase the flame and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for 2 -3 minutes.
Add 151 and as soon as the sauce comes back to a simmer.

Turn off the lights and ignite!!!!

It takes about 20 seconds for the flames to die down... OK, Turn the lights back on, the show's over.

Serve about 3-4 crêpes per person, drizzled with a little of the sauce and garnish simply with Lemon Peel or add some broken pecans or walnuts if you wish.

Mangia!!
~~

On The Sunny Side Of The Crêpe - Galette à l'Oeuf

What to do with all those Buckwheat Crêpes?
Personally, I usually treat them in the venue of Buckwheat Pancakes. As a Breakfast food.

I had a yard sale that I needed to drag stuff over to this morning, so I was in a hurry to get out the door. This is a delicious quick and hearty breakfast that will "stick to your ribs". Although, I have to admit that my method of doing this is a little untraditional. I cook my eggs separately; then add them to the warm galette that has Gruyere sprinkled on it. Traditionally the egg is actually cooked ON the galette, and lacks cheese.

Galette à l'Oeuf

A bunch of Buckwheat Crêpes
Gruyere
Eggs; Sunny side up, 1 per crêpe
Fleur de Sel
Black Pepper
Butter

In a skillet over medium heat, begin heating the crêpe, browner side down.

Sprinkle with a little grated Gruyere.

Add a "Sunny Side up" Egg, that has been seasoned with Fleur de Sel and Black pepper.

Fold the edges over, leaving the yolk exposed. (I wish my crêpe pan was a little bigger, it would make folding a lot easier)

Hit it with a little pat of Butter.
Serve....

Super simple, super easy and quite delicious!

Mangia!!
~~

Crêpe Expectations Part Deux - Crêpes Salées (Galettes Bretonnes au Sarrasin)

In my post regarding crêpes, I left out an important player in the crêpe world. The original Buckwheat Crêpe. The reason was simply that I had used all my buckwheat flour the last time I made Pizzocherri alla Valtellinesi, and had not replaced it yet. But being OCD, it has been bugging me that I, knowingly, did not paint a complete picture of the crepe world. So in order to soothe my conscience, I obtained some Buckwheat flour from the health food section of my closest grocery store (I only needed 3/4 of a cup) and decided to go ahead and make real Crêpes Salées (Salted or Savory Crêpes).

Technically "Galettes" or "Galettes Bretonnes au Sarrasin" would be a more proper name, as this is what they are called in Breton (Brittany) where the crêpe & galette originated so many moons ago. Galettes were savory and crêpes were sweet. Galettes were made with buckwheat flour and crêpes were made with wheat flour and sugar (Crêpe Sucrée). Then something changed somewhere along the way and savory galettes were suddenly being made wheat flour as well. My guess is that this first began in Paris, although my copy of Larousse Gastronomique is fairly vague on the subject (Did I just commit blasphemy?) oops.

So here is the recipe I use for Galettes. I DO cheat though.... I will admit that I am too chicken to not use at least a little bit of Wheat flour to kind of hold things together. Buckwheat is gluten-free, and after working with buckwheat to make Pizzocherri, just let me say that a little gluten can make a BIG difference. My mixing method is slightly different too, since I already have to use a bowl to whisk the flours together, I whisk it all up in the bowl instead of the blender.

Crêpes Salées
(Buckwheat Crêpes)

or Galettes Bretonne au Sarrasin

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt or Fleur de Sel
3 Large Eggs
1 cup plus 2 TB Whole milk
3 TB Water
3 TB Unsalted Butter, Melted
3/4 cup Buckwheat Flour
1/4 cup AP Flour
Olive or Canola oil for crepe pan

Combine all liquid ingredients in a blender with salt and blend thoroughly.

In a small bowl, whisk both the flours together.

While whisking, begin pouring the liquid ingredients into the flours until a homogeneous mixture is created.

Cover the batter with plastic wrap and chill for 1 1/2 hours.

Heat a 7 in skillet or poêle à crêpes and brush lightly with oil or sprayed with vegetable spray.
Pour ~ 3 TB of batter into the heated pan;

while tilting the pan to spread the batter over the bottom. (I tried my darnedest to get a picture of this)

Cook the crêpe/galette for 30 seconds.

Flip it and cook an additional 10 seconds.

Turn out onto paper towel & cool.

Once cooled, they can be stacked, wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Mangia!!
~~