When I was little my family didn’t go to very many restaurants, so the ones we did visit had a big impact on me. I fondly remember mom and dad loading us in the car and going to the A&W drive in. Dad placed our order in the microphone next to the car and our food was brought out to us on trays that were hung from our windows. The chilled glass mugs of root beer were my favourite. I always got the baby one which probably only had a few ounces of pop, but I felt like I fit right in with my older siblings. We also took the occasional drive out to Half Moon or Skinners for hotdogs and went to Bonanza steakhouse when my sister got a job there. 

When I was around 12 I began riding the bus downtown for theatre school and decided that my friends and I should start visiting restaurants. We felt so grown up. I bet the waiters groaned when they saw us pile through the door but I recall always being treated with respect. We loved the Old Spaghetti Factory in the exchange district and Mr. Green Jeans in Eaton Place. But the restaurant that made me feel the most sophisticated was the Garden Crêperie.  I always had the crepes St. Jacques that were served with an orange, almond salad. I missed those crepes, so I decided to try to recreate my own version of them. Keep in mind I was probably 16 years old the last time I tasted them. 

For my 60th birthday my sisters and a couple friends rented an Airbnb in Odin Green, just south of Gimli. It had a wonderfully equipped kitchen so I made my version of these crepes and an orange almond salad for one of our dinners. My crepes are a bit more indulgent than the original, I don’t think theirs had Swiss cheese or as much sauce, but they sure are yummy. Here’s the recipe:

Crepes St. Jacques

For the crepes
1 cup flour
¼ tsp salt
1 ¼ cups of milk (2%, whole, or half & half)
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp melted butter

For the filling
1 tbsp butter
9 oz raw shrimp (peel and devein)
9 oz small scallops

For the Béchamel Sauce

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cup half & half cream
1/4 cup white wine
2 tbsp sherry
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper to taste

For topping

3/4 cup Gruyere or Swiss cheese
Paprika to taste
3 tbsp freshly minced parsley

Instructions

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl, whisk together and add the milk slowly, whisking until combined. Then add the beaten eggs, whisking until smooth. Then whisk in the melted butter.

Heat a crepe pan or a medium non-stick skillet on medium-high heat. Once hot, pour a bit less than 1/3 cup of batter into the pan and swirl the batter around until it covers the bottom of the pan. Allow to cook until set and edges start to turn golden brown. 45 – 60 seconds.

Slide a thin spatula under the crepe enough to grab hold of it and flip it quickly with your hands. Cook on the other side for 20 seconds more. Slide the crepe off the pan onto a plate, repeat the process till batter is gone, should make 6 crepes.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pan over medium high heat.  Add scallops and shrimp.  Cook just until shrimp is pink and there is some colour on the scallops. Set aside to cool.

For the béchamel sauce, melt the butter and once foamy add the flour, whisk together until a paste form stir and let cook for a minute or two. Slowly add the milk, whisking until combined.

Simmer on medium low heat till mixture has thickened. Then add 1 minced garlic clove and season with salt and pepper to taste. If using gluten free flour you will likely need more milk to achieve the correct consistency.

Lay out crepes and evenly divide the seafood mixture amongst the crepes. There will be juice left in the pan, whisk it into the béchamel sauce.  Ladle 2 tbsp of béchamel on top. Roll crepe and place in baking dish seam side down. Top with remaining béchamel, and sprinkle with cheese and paprika.
Bake at 350F for approximately 30 mins. Then place under the broiler 1-2 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Sister #1 here: They were stupendous!

Kath’s quote: I love French cuisine. From crepes and seafood to the variety of seafood preparations, this cuisine is so innovative and fresh. It offers something for every kind of foodie.-Sonali Bendre

Love never fails.

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