Spelt and spring onion pancakes with asparagus and morels

Rank kitchen

With asparagus shoots sprouting in abundance in the garden and morels proliferating in the wastelands and undergrowth, I came up with the idea of ​​pairing these two springtime staples on a spelt crepe seasoned with green onions. Here's the recipe for the dish, which can also be served as a starter. This suggestion makes about ten pancakes, perfect for wowing the crowd. However, the chef must be present in the kitchen at the time of service to complete the recipe. You can reduce the ingredients by half for a more understated experience. I paid $10 for 100 grams of morels at a market.

Spelt and green onion pancake, asparagus and morels (for 10 pancakes)

Ingredients

• 500 ml of water
• 250 ml spelt flour
• 125 ml unbleached white flour
• 3 eggs
• A pinch of salt
• 3 green onions
• 15 ml olive oil to sweat the green onions
• Olive oil for cooking pancakes

Preparation

One hour before cooking the crepes, pour the water into a blender, add the two flours and the salt, and then turn on the mixer. Add the 3 eggs and turn on the mixer again until you obtain a smooth batter, then let it rest. Slice the green onions and sweat them in a pan with the olive oil. Add them to the batter and turn the mixer on to incorporate the onions. You can cook the crepes in advance and reheat them when you are ready to serve, but nothing beats a crepe prepared at the last minute.

Trim

Preparation

Trim the asparagus using a peeler. This involves peeling the stems of the asparagus with the peeler to remove the fibers. This makes the stems more tender. Steam the asparagus for about 5 minutes to keep them firm. Cool in cold water, drain, and set aside.

Cook the crepe in a pan until golden brown. At the same time, in another pan, heat the asparagus with a little melted butter and, in a frying pan, brown the morels over high heat for 5 minutes with olive oil and a little chopped garlic or basil pesto or garlic flowers. Season lightly. Quickly assemble the crepe, keeping it open to showcase the filling.

Variants

The crepe can be topped with a drizzle of vegetable cream, a knob of butter, or a swirl of basil pesto or garlic scape. Morel cream can be added at the end of cooking. This imparts its flavor to the sauce, making it decadent. Morels can be substituted with a variety of other mushrooms, both wild and cultivated.

Yves Gagnon, cook and gardener