My Pantry Shelf

The countdown to summer has officially begun.  Summertime is that special time of year when I hang my teaching hat and spend my days tickling my children, swimming, running through the hills, and of course canning the bounty of the season.  So in these final weeks before summer is here, now is the time to clear out the pantry and make  room for another season of dutiful and celebratory filling of jars.  While some canned goods, such as jam, may be stored for longer, I always aim to eat my preserved foods within one year.  Lemon curd is best eaten within 3 to 4 months, after which time the curd may darken, but still be safe to eat for one year.

There are many lovely ways to enjoy lemon curd, but not many that I feel justify me to eat it for breakfast.  Thanks to the ever versatile crepe, I now feel free to indulge myself!  This crepe recipe is directly from Julia Child’s The Way to Cook.  They are  incredibly easy to make and so good.  For this special breakfast, I filled the crepes with lemon curd and topped them with a warm berry sauce made from frozen berries.  The tangy lemon, sweet berry, and buttery crepe make for a beautiful and tasty treat.  It is just the thing for a special weekend breakfast or brunch.

Julia Child’s Crepes

adapted from The Way to Cook

makes 20 crepes

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup cold water

3 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons melted butter- divided

Place flour and salt in a bowl.  Gradually dribble in the milk and water while whisking.  Whisk until you have a perfectly smooth mixture, then whisk in eggs and 3 Tablespoons of butter.  Pass mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any clumps.  Let batter rest for 10 minutes to 1 hour in refrigerator.

Heat  a crepe pan or 10 inch skillet on medium heat until a drop of water will dance across the surface.  Brush pan with melted butter. Pour 1/4 cup of crepe batter into pan, tilting pan to allow batter to cover the surface.  When the bottom of the crepe is lightly browned, 30 seconds or so, flip the crepe and cook an additional 15- 20 seconds.

Serve immediately.  Cool any extra crepes on a rack, then stack between wax paper sheets and seal in a freezer bag.  Store in the freezer for another special breakfast.  Shoot, with a bag of crepes in the freezer, maybe you can even treat yourself to a special breakfast on a weekday.  Simply warm the crepe in a greased pan, pop open a jar of lemon curd, and give your morning a good start.

Warm Berry Sauce

makes 2 cups

2 cups berries, fresh or frozen (I like a mixed berries with no strawberries)

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

3 thin strips lemon zest

Combine ingredients in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes uncovered.  Stir occasionally.  Remove from heat and discard lemon zest.  Serve berry syrup warm or room temperature.

Here is a printer friendly version of the recipe: Crepes with Berry Sauce

Check out this previous post for a great recipe for Meyer Lemon Curd