Creamy Seafood Crepes

Name: Creamy Seafood Crêpes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 200g green prawns, peeled, deveined; 375g piece salmon fillet, skin off, pin-boned; 50g butter; 1 leek, washed well, chopped; 1 clove garlic, crushed; Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; ½ lemon, zested and juiced; 100g Gruyère, grated; 1 tablespoon finely sliced dill; 8 crêpes; Béchamel Sauce:; 25g butter; 2 tablespoons plain flour; 300ml milk; Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste; Salt flakes, to taste

These creamy seafood crepes make a delicious light meal with a green salad or a tasty starter if you serve one per person. Vary the seafood and herbs if you like, white fish, crab meat and bugs or lobster are all delicious inclusions, while chives, French tarragon or chervil can be used instead of dill. Creamy seafood crepes can be filled ahead of time, covered and refrigerated then removed from the fridge 30–60 minutes before cooking to allow them to come to room temperature. You may have a little filling leftover, it will keep refrigerated for 2-3 days and is delicious in a seafood pot pie. Pour a glass of Domaine Naturaliste Puris chardonnay. Leaning towards Chablis style this elegant wine has a distinctly creamy chardonnay nose with ripe peach on the palate, good pithy acid and a slight minerally grip to balance the richness of the sauce.

Serves 4 (or 8 as a starter)

Ingredients

200g green prawns, peeled, deveined (7oz)
375g piece salmon fillet, skin off, pin-boned (13oz)
50g butter (2oz)
1 leek, washed well, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ lemon, zested and juiced
100g Gruyère, grated (3½oz)
1 tablespoon finely sliced dill
8 x 20cm (8″) crêpes

Béchamel Sauce

25g butter (1oz)
2 tablespoons plain flour (25g)
300ml milk (about 1¼ cups/
½ pint)
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Salt flakes, to taste

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180°C/355°F.
Cut prawns and salmon into a 1–2cm dice (about ½″). Set aside.
Melt butter in a frying pan over a low heat, add leek, garlic and a good pinch of salt and cook, covered, for 15–20 minutes, until tender, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, make Béchamel Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over a low heat, stir in flour and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often. Add milk and stir continuously until sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Stir in nutmeg and salt and remove from heat.
Stir in lemon zest, juice, pepper and about half the Gruyère. Taste and add salt.
Stir in seafood and dill.
When leek is cooked, combine with the Béchamel Sauce mixture.
Lay a crêpe on a clean dry work surface and place about ⅓ cup (80ml) of mixture in the centre of it, forming a rectangle.
Fold the sides over to enclose the filling then then tuck the ends under to form a neat parcel.
Place in a greased baking dish, seam side down.
Repeat with remaining crêpes and filling, forming a single layer.
Sprinkle remaining Gruyère over the top and bake for 15–20 minutes until lightly browned.
Serve creamy seafood crepes as a starter or with a green salad as a light meal.