Mushroom Crepes with Poblano Chile Sauce

Ingredients:

Crepes:

2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 tsp. fine sea salt
additional melted butter

Mushroom filling:

1/3 cup corn oil
2 cups chopped white onions
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. minced fresh epazote or fresh cilantro
4 tsp. finely chopped garlic

Sauce:

6 large fresh poblano chiles
2 Tbsp. (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped white onion
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 Tbsp. all purpose flour
2 cups warm whole milk
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup coarsely grated queso manchego or muenster cheese
3 Tbsp. corn oil
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
fresh cilantro sprigs

Instructions:

For crepes:

Blend the milk, eggs, 2 Tbsp. of melted butter and salt in blender for about 5 seconds. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time and blend the batter until smooth after each addition. Let it rest for 1-2 hours. Reblend the batter for 5 seconds before using. Heat a nonstick skillet with a 7″ to 8″ diameter bottom over medium-high heat and brush with melted butter. Pour 3 Tbsp. of batter into the skillet and swirl it to coat the bottom evenly. Cook until the bottom of crepe is golden, about 30 seconds. Loosen the edges gently with a spatula and turn the crepe over. Cook until the bottom is brown in spots, about 30 seconds. Turn the crepe out onto some paper towels. Repeat, making about 16 crepes and stacking them between the paper towels. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap and chill.)

For filling:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the onions. Saute the onions until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add the mushrooms, epazote and garlic. Saute until the mushrooms are brown and the mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

For sauce:

Char the chiles directly over a gas flame or under a broiler until the chiles are blackened on all sides. Enclose the chiles in a paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel, seed and thinly slice the chiles.

Melt the butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute them until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour (mixture may be firm) and saute for 1 minute longer. Whisk in the warm milk and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce thickens, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce into blender and add the cream and half of the roasted chiles (reserve the remaining chiles for garnish). Blend the sauce until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Whisk over medium heat until just warm before continuing.)

Brush a small baking sheet with oil and arrange 1 crepe, brown spots up, on the work surface. Place 2 packed Tbsp. of filling in the center. Fold the crepe in half, then fold in half again, forming a triangle. Place the filled crepe onto a prepared sheet. Repeat with 11 more crepes and all of filling. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and chill.)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into the center of each of 6 ovenproof plates and top each with 2 filled crepes. Pour 1/4 cup of sauce over the crepes and sprinkle with cheese. Bake until the cheese melts, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 3 Tbsp. of oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the reserved poblano chiles and corn, then saute until heated through, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt.

Garnish the crepes with the remaining sauteed chiles and corn, then add the cilantro sprigs and serve.

Recipe from Bon Appetit Magazine, May 2003.