I realized recently how seldom I cook breakfast now that I’m single. Well, I make breakfast, but cooking would be a very generous way to describe it. Usually, it’s unwrapping a kind bar, toasting a piece of Udi’s bread, or if I’m feeling really energetic, scrambling a quick egg.
I’ve always thought there was something special and romantic about breakfast. We can put it on the list – right below French fries and foot massages – of keys to my heart. So in anticipation of Valentine’s Day, instead of chocolate cake and oysters, I thought I’d share this recipe for an easy, yet somewhat involved breakfast that I would love for my imaginary boyfriend to make for me.
Buckwheat happens to be gluten-free, though most recipes for this type of savory French crepe will call for regular flour as well. It’s not always the easiest to find in the baking isle. So if you’re worried about tracking it down, I’d suggest ordering some online (I use Arrowhead Mills). The best thing about these crepes, is that the batter can be made the night before and can rest in a bowl in the fridge until morning. Not that it takes that long to whip together the morning of. But if your morning habits are more along the lines of removing wrappers than poaching eggs, you will be grateful for the pre-prep.
I’ll be out in LA the week of Valentine’s Day, and have made big plans to drink margaritas and eat tacos with some of my girlfriends out there. My imaginary boyfriend will be in New York, but the weather should be pretty warm compared to what we’ve had going on here the past few weeks, so I don’t think I’ll be needing his company. It should be noted that I have been sick this week, and all of this jibber-jabber is probably the cold medicine talking. Why else would I name my space heater Brian?
Okay okay, enough of that. These buckwheat crepes make for a great year round breakfast, not just when romance strikes. I made this particular batch for my girlfriend Kate who showed up at my doorstep at 11am on a Saturday in a mink coat and heels. Sometimes romance can sneak up on you like that.
Eat up!
Xo
Phoebe
Buckwheat Crepes with Greens and Gruyere
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup buckwheat flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 1/3 cup milk
- Olive oil
- 2 leeks white and green parts only, halved and thinly sliced
- 4 scallions thinly sliced
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- 1 cup grated gruyere cheese
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buckwheat flour and eggs. Gently add the milk and whisk until smooth. Set the batter aside in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the leeks and scallions until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the spinach one handful at a time - as the greens cook down, you can fit more in the pan. Cook the spinach, tossing constantly, until fully wilted and soft, about 3 minutes. Remove greens to a bowl. Set aside.
- Place a small (8-inch) nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add a scant 1/4 cup batter to the pan and swirl until the bottom is fully coated. Cook for 30 seconds, then slide your spatula along the edges to loose the crepe. Cook for 30 seconds more, then flip the crepe. Cook another 30 seconds on the second side, the sprinkle 2 tablespoons cheese over the top of the crepe, followed by two tablespoons greens. Fold the sides of the crepe in to seal the mixture. Slice the completed crepe onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining crepes. You should have about 8 total.
- If not serving right away, or the cheese has not fully melted, warm the pan in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes, or until ready to eat. A nice side salad is a great compliment.
If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe - I'd love to see it!
dang it, phoebe! these are technically galettes. see the second paragraph: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galette. learn something new everyday.
Hi Carla, Thanks for the link! I’ve never heard them called galettes before. I’ll have to look out for them on menus next time I’m in Paris! This combo is based on one from my favorite creperie, so if they call the savory buckwheat version crepes, that’s good enough for me!
Look like crepes to me, Carla. And really yummy ones. Meanwhile: Phoebe, if Brian is all you’ve got for a boyfriend, I hope you meet someone in California who has something besides “Hi” and “Lo” settings.
ha!
Looks great, would be tasty using collard greens and or asparagus! Nice to see another Phoebe out there.
Totally! Love that combo. I don’t cook with collards enough. Any favorite recipes? Thanks for the Phoebe love!
Thank you. I spent many hours searching for a gluten free buckwheat crepe recipe with no luck. Gave up and stuck the flour in the back of the fridge. Now I get to to bring it out. I only have 2 recipes using it now, this and a flourless chocolate cake. If you have any other recipe ideas for the stuff please don’t hold back from posting them.
Hi Crystal! So glad I could help you break out that flour from the back of your pantry! I know the feeling. I used to find random sacks that I pushed to the back. Now I keep everything in jars, which actually help motivate me to use some of the more obscure ones. I did a quick search and found a few recipes on 101 cookbooks that use buckwheat flour. Not sure if they are gluten-free, but worth taking a look!
http://www.101cookbooks.com/ingredient/buckwheat%20flour
Hope you’ll come back to Feed Me Phoebe for more GF recipe!
xo
P
Hi mates, how is the whole thing, and what you want to say about this piece of writing, in my view its actually amazing for me.
I just made crepes for the first time this week! They were a lot easier than I had originally thought. It got me so excited about savory crepes any time of day, so this recipe is hitting me at the right time! I love it! I am jealous of your Valentine’s Day plans. Margs and tacos in warm and sunny California sounds perfect!
Hooray Stefanie! What recipe did you try? Crepes are definitely less intimidating in practice than in theory. Love them. I know, VDay in Cali is an ideal scenario. I can’t wait. Hope you have fabulous plans as well! xoxxo
We had a variation on these for dinner using mixed baby kale, chard, and spinach with feta. I’ve recently had to cut out gluten and have so been missing anything bready/doughy. These were absolutely delicious!!! Tender yet toothsome and the slightest bit sweet. Yum! Made my day! Thank you! 🙂
Sara, so glad I could help save you from gluten monotony! I’ve been there. Or am there, often. Your variation sounds super duper healthy. Good for you! If you’re looking for other easy carb solutions, you must try this Socca recipe:
https://feedmephoebe.com/2012/08/gluten-free-is-me-socca-with-shallots-and-thyme/
also the gluten-free cornbread recipe is legit. I think I like it more than my old recipe with flour.
Enjoy! And thanks for stopping by!
xo
Really want to try this but don’t eat eggs. Do you think it would still work with an egg replacement such as ground flax or chia seeds? I hope so cause I am dying for a good crepe/wrap recipe since I’ve stopped eating gluten and corn. Love the recipes, keep them coming! 🙂