-FOR THE PANCAKES-
2 oz Buckwheat flour
2 oz Plain white flour
2 Eggs
2 tb Butter; melted
1/4 pt Milk
1/4 pt Water
-FOR THE FILLING-
2 lb Fresh spinich
1 lg Onion
3 oz Stilton cheese
2 oz Walnut pieces
Butter
1 Garlic sliver
FOR THE SAUCE
1 oz Butter
1 oz Plain white flour
1/2 pt Stock
1/4 pt Double cream
2 tb Freshly grated Parmesan
1 ts (heaped) Dijon mustard
Make a smooth batter with the flours, eggs, milk and water, then stir
in the cool melted butter for extra richness and to prevent sticking
during cooking. Use a 6-inch pan and make thin pancakes in the usual
way, but be sure to stir the batter vigorously in between making each
pancake or all the buckwheat flour will sink to the bottom of the
mixture. If preparing ahead, cool the pancakes then stack them
(interleaved with greaseproof paper) and wrap in a foil parcel.
To make the filling, wash and boil or steam the spinach until just
tender. Chop it and squeeze out all the liquid (save the juices for a
soup). Chop the onion finely and sweat it in a knob of butter until
it’s deliciously soft. Stir in the spinach, season with a little
salt, lots of pepper and the garlic. Toast the walnuts and crumbled
Stilton into the spinach mixture to give it savoury flavour and bite.
Stuff the pancakes with the mixture, roll them up neatly and pile
them into a lightly buttered gratin dish. Cover with foil and heat
through in the oven for 25-30 minutes at 400 F (200 C) gas mark 6.
Make a smooth rich sauce with the butter, flour, stock (preferably
good chicken stock) and cream. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes,
stirring once or twice, then season with the cheese, mustard and salt
and pepper. If the sauce is made ahead, reheat it in a double-boiler
for serving, then pour it over the dish of pancakes just before
bringing to table.
Yields
18 servings