Crêpes Versaillaise
CATEGORIES
INGREDIENTS
  • Modified Velouté/Béchamel:
  • 5 TB unsalted Butter
  • 1/4 cup AP flour
  • 1 1/4 cup cold whole milk
  • 1 1/4 cup cold chicken stock
  • Salt and white pepper to taste
  • Filling:
  • 1 TB unsalted Butter
  • 1/4 cup Shallot, minced
  • 1/2 cup Crimini mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 cups Chicken, finely chopped – about 12 oz
  • 3 TB Dry Marsala
  • 1 lb thin asparagus stalks, trimmed
  • Topping:
  • 1/2 cup of reserved Velouté
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 5 TB Chilled Heavy Cream
  • 1 TB Unsalted Butter
  • Garnish:
  • 1 TB Butter
  • Tips reserved from cutting asparagus
DIRECTIONS
  1. Make Velouté:
  2. Melt Butter over low heat in saucepan; let it bubble a little bit to remove some of the water. Add the flour to the butter in the pan. Cook over low heat, whisking, until the roux becomes a light golden straw color.
  3. Slowly whisk in the stock and the milk.
  4. Continue to cook while stirring until thick (This can take as long as 20 minutes)
  5. Season the sauce with salt and white pepper.
  6. Remove 1/2 cup of sauce and set aside.
  7. Make Filling:
  8. In a sauté pan, melt Butter and sauté shallot until soft, about 2-3 minutes
  9. Add Crimini mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes,
  10. Stir this into the large portion of the Velouté sauce along with the chicken and Marsala.
  11. Cut the tips from the asparagus (Diagonally) and set aside.
  12. Cut enough of the stalks into 1/4 inch pieces to measure 1 cup, reserve the remaining stalks for another use.
  13. Cook the asparagus tips in salted boiling water for 2-4 minutes, transfer to ice water to stop cooking and keep them bright green.
  14. Drain on a paper towel and set aside for garnish.
  15. Cook and drain the 1-cup of stalk pieces in the same manner then add to the Velouté with the chicken and Marsala
  16. Assembly:
  17. Preheat oven to 350
  18. Spread 1/4 cup of filling across the center of 1 crepe then roll into a cylinder.
  19. Transfer, seam side down, to a buttered baking dish.
  20. Continue assembling the remaining crepes in this manner, fitting them together snuggly.
  21. Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
  22. Topping:
  23. Stir yolk, 2 TB of the cream and reserved 1/2 cup of Velouté sauce together until smooth.
  24. Beat the remaining 3 TB of cream with a whisk until it holds soft peaks, then fold into the yolk mixture.
  25. Finishing touches:
  26. When crêpes are done baking, remove from oven.
  27. Spoon topping over crêpes and broil 5-6 inches from heat source until lightly browned- about 2 minutes.
  28. Melt 1 TB butter in a skillet; add reserved asparagus tips and toss until warmed.
  29. To serve, lay 2-3 crêpes on a plate garnish with asparagus tips.
  30. Serves 5-8 depending on how many crêpes per person.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
This is delicious, the sauce is either a modified Velouté with milk added instead of just stock, OR its a modified Béchamel with stock added instead of just milk. Well, whether Belouté or Véchamel, like I said, it's a delicious chicken asparagus stuffed crêpe thing. YUM Crêpes can always be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator until needed, wrapped in plastic wrap. The filling and topping can also be made in advance ans stored for up to 2 days with plastic wrap down on the surface to prevent crusting. 1 recipe Savory Crêpes without Buckwheat; add a pinch of nutmeg or mace to the batter.