Crepes with mandarins and creme fraiche

It's good to learn how to make french pancakes

I was scrolling The New Basics Cookbook the other day, which I found on a walk home from work in NoLita. It refreshed my memory of classic and inspired cooking. It’s nice to check in and remind yourself that most of what you do has been done before. We are only here to add our creative spirit to it. The structure of cookery has been laid! Dipping my toes in the classics always fills me with light and inspiration. This recipe was inspired by this cookbook and Raymond Blanc who I have been watching recently. Enjoy!

Serves 2-4

CREPES

210ml whole milk

3 large free range eggs 

90g plain flour 

30 grams browned butter 

15g fine sugar 

2 rasps mandarin zest

2 rasps lemon zest

2 rasps orange zest 

Pinch salt 

CARAMEL 

30ml water 

150ml mandarin juice 

150g sugar 

45g unsalted butter

1 tsp whiskey

1 tsp good quality sherry vinegar

2 lemon peels cut into julienne 

1 mandarin segmented 

Pinch salt 

GARNISH 

Pinch crushed fennel seeds

Dollop of creme fraiche 

METHOD

Whisk together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to the dry batter and whisk until combined and smooth. Set aside in the fridge to rest. 

Add mandarin juice and water to sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and let it slowly caramelise on medium for approx 4 minutes until golden and slightly darkened. Take off heat and add your butter, whisky and vinegar and emulsify with a whisk. Add in your lemon peel and mandarin segments to coat and set aside.

Heat a smallish cast iron skillet to medium high. Add in a lick of butter and ladle in a scoop of the batter to the pan. Let cook gently for 60 seconds. Once cooked and has slight colour flip onto a sheet tray with a cake rack on top to sustain texture. 

Fold into four and place on your plate. Spoon over your caramel and mandarins. Sprinkle fennel and dollop the creme fraiche. Serve.