I really wish there were more hours in a day. I wrote a first draft of this post last week and lost it, unfortunately, but the fact that it took me nearly a month to even write this gets to me.

By the time I cook, I’m too tired to sit down and write about it at 10 pm. But, until someone makes a real life TimeTurner, my recipes will just have to wait patiently in the drafts queue.

This is probably my favorite thing to make for group dinner/lunch parties. It was for my first Burns Night, and I was joining the gentleman’s yearly tradition. In typical fashion, I spent far too much time stressing about what I’d bring to Burns Night dinner, even if I “didn’t have to bring anything.” Of course I had to bring something.

I finally settled on making herbed crepes with creme fraiche and Scottish smoked salmon, and even though I was sure it fit the theme, I still worried endlessly until I got my first positive (and unsolicited) review. Burns Night, by the way, is a celebration of the Scottish poet Robert Burns, with a main course of haggis and root vegetables.

Since then, I’ve made these several times, always with great success. The best part was when one of the gentleman’s friends asked me if I’d brought the crepes again. Appetizer jackpot!

Once you get the hang of making crepes (or pancakes for that matter), this is a pretty easy starter to do, and you can make it ahead, since it’s a cold dish.

Serves: 10-15 people, as long as no one’s late (they go quickly!)

On The Counter:

Crepes:
2 large eggs
1 cup (120g) plain flour
1 1/4 cup (300ml) milk
5 tsp (25g) butter, melted
1/4 cup (10g) fresh parsley, chives & dill, chopped
salt and white pepper (black is fine, but white looks better)

Topping:
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cubed
1/2 lb (225g) smoked salmon, finely diced
1 1/4 cups (300ml) crème fraîche
3 tbsp (5g) fresh parsley, chives & dill, chopped

What to Do:

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until the yolks pop. Gradually add in flour, milk and melted butter. Add in chopped herbs and combine. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Let the batter sit for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, place diced cucumbers in a bowl and sprinkle salt on top. After 5 minutes, drain excess liquid. (You can also squeeze the cucumber between paper towels to remove more water.)

Melt a small amount of butter in a crepe pan or flat skillet over medium heat.

Fill an ice cream scoop and gently pour the batter so that it forms a thin circular layer. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until set. You should be able to flip it over easily. Flip it and cook for 30 seconds, until golden.

Repeat with all of the batter, stacking the crepes between sheets of parchment paper.

Place crème fraîche, 3 tbsp chopped herbs and cucumber into a medium bowl. Combine until well-mixed.

To serve, cut crepes into quarters. Top with a small piece of salmon and a generous spoonful of crème fraîche.

Apologies for the lack of good final dish photo… I didn’t get take a very good one before the hungry hordes descended!