Spinach & Stilton Pancakes
Submitted by bears
Nutty buckwheat crepes stuffed with spinach, Stilton blue cheese, and toasted walnuts, baked in a gratin dish and topped with a creamy Parmesan-mustard sauce. A proper British dinner party showstopper.
YIELD
18 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
35 minREADY
60 minThese aren’t your Sunday morning flapjacks. Thin buckwheat crepes get rolled around a savoury filling of wilted spinach, crumbled Stilton, and toasted walnuts, then nestled into a gratin dish and warmed through in the oven.
The buckwheat flour gives the pancakes an earthy, slightly nutty flavour that stands up brilliantly to the bold blue cheese.
Then comes the sauce: a proper roux-based number with stock, double cream, Parmesan, and a kick of Dijon mustard, poured over the lot just before serving.
This recipe makes 18 pancakes, so it’s built for entertaining or for stashing extras in the freezer.
Chef Tips
- Stir the batter vigorously before making each pancake. The buckwheat flour sinks to the bottom if you leave it sitting.
- Squeeze every last drop of water from the cooked spinach. Save those green juices for soup stock.
- Stack cooked pancakes between sheets of greaseproof paper so they don’t stick together. They can be made well ahead.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry pan until fragrant. Raw walnuts are flat and slightly bitter; toasted ones are rich and sweet.
Ingredients
Directions
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 bue cheese 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 to 30 minutes at 400℉ (200℃) 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.
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