Crêpes Parmentier #FoodieReads

I am posting this after reading Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson.

On the Page

This multigenerational novel interweaves narratives that span hundreds of years: a current timeline where Ebby Freeman is still smarting from being left at the altar on her wedding day; fifteen years ago when Ebby's brother, Baz, was killed during a home invasion and she was the only other person in the house; the mid 19th century when the Freemans' ancestor was ripped from her homeland in Africa and brought to the United States; and a more direct relative who was an enslaved potter.

One of Mo's jars is one of the family's prized possessions and it is shattered during the home invasion that ends with Baz' death. The title refers to the kind of dirt needed to make pottery - good dirt. And the descriptions of pottery-making in the South at that time were fascinating.

A large part of the current timeline takes place in France where Ebby has retreated to get away from the media circus surrounded her failed nuptial and to heal her broken heart. Now here's where it gets very unrealistic, in my mind. Her former fiancé, Henry, and his new girlfriend show up at the house she is caretaking. But it sets up a much-needed confrontation between Ebby and Henry. I'll just leave it at that.

This was an enjoyable read. I liked the historical aspects. The characters were realistically flawed. And it held my interest. Other reading friends have told me they much preferred her other book Black Cake. I might have to pick that up next.

On the Plate

As with everything I read or watch, I can find culinary inspiration just about anywhere.

I considered making a pot pie...

"Their grandmother’s kitchen was filled with the aroma of something crusty and saucy. 'I made pot pie,' Grandma Bliss said. 'Yum!' Ebby said. Their mom’s mother had always liked delicate-looking foods. Puffy and melty-topped dishes that might fall apart as soon as you put a fork to them but still tasted pretty good."

I did not consider trotters...

"A waiter walks by with two plates of a gelatinous-looking dish. Ebby feels her mouth go tight. 'Ooh, look at that,' Avery says, putting a palm to her chest. 'That looks like…' 'Pieds de porc,' Ebby says. She knows it well. Her friend Hannah loves eating trotters. 'Pigs’ feet!' Avery says, her eyes gleaming. Gross, thinks Ebby. ... She closes her menu and points at the table where the trotters dish has landed. 'That’s what I’m having. Do you want to share it? It’s a huge portion'."

But what sent me into the kitchen was this...

They’ve just finished the crêpes that Ebby has made them for brunch. Smoked cheese and chives for the filling. Very French. It’s good to have Ebby back again, though barely a month has passed and she’s already talking about going back to France for a while.

I found mention of savory crêpes with smoked cheese, potatoes, and eggs. It sounded like a perfect dinner. Crêpes Parmentier are usually made with buckwheat flour. I didn't have any, so I just made gluten-free crêpes and filled them with grated smoked cheddar, cubed potatoes, and a poached egg.

Ingredients

makes approximately one dozen

• 1-1/2 cups gluten-free flour (I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour)

• 3 eggs

• 2 cups organic whole milk

• dash of ground cardamom

• butter, for cooking

• For serving: shredded smoked cheese, cooked cubed potatoes, poached eggs*, cracked black pepper, and herbs for garnish

*You can read my process for poaching eggs in this recipe.

Procedure

Whisk all of the ingredients together until lump-free. Let sit for at least 30 minutes. Heat a large flat-bottom pan and rub the bottom with butter. Pour the batter into the pan and quickly make a tilting motion to distribute the batter all over the pan. The goal: have as thin a batter layer as possible. Cook until the crêpe is a bit stiff and flip over, cooking for another minute The pancake should be lightly browned on both sides. Repeat till all the batter is used; I made 12 crêpes with the quantities listed above.

Return a crêpe to the pan. Add shredded cheese, and potatoes to the center. Once the cheese has melted, move the crêpe to a plate, top it with a poached egg. Then fold the edges up into a galette-type shape. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper and top with herbs.

I am adding this to the the August #FoodieReads link-up.