Pancakes with Mushrooms

Pancakes filled with mushrooms in a port and cream sauce. A simple, but elegant and very tasty dish.

Ingredients

For the Pancakes

• 2 cups / 300 g flour, sifted
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup / 120 ml buttermilk or kefir
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• about ¾ cup / 180 ml milk
• a pinch of salt
• butter or oil for baking

For the Filling

• 1 lb / 500 g mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp / 25 g bacon, finely diced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup / 60 ml port wine
• 3 tbsp whipping cream
• 3 tbsp sour cream
• a pinch of tarragon (optional)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• freshly ground pepper and salt to taste

Preparation

Pancake batter

1. In a mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs
2. Combine flour with baking powder and salt and stir well into egg mixture.
3. Add buttermilk, oil and milk. Mix until the batter is smooth, but do not overmix. A few clumps are OK.
4. Let stand and relax for at least 30 minutes

Filling

1. Render bacon in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until nicely browned.
2. Add onion and salt and cook until soft and translucent.
3. Add garlic and tarragon and cook for another minute or two, then add the mushrooms.
4. Cook until most of the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated.
5. Add port and cook until most of it has evaporated.
6. Reduce heat. Stir in sour cream and whipping cream. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped parsley.
7. Keep warm.

Baking the Pancakes

1. Set a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add a bit of butter or oil. With a ladle or measuring cup, add ½ cup / 120 ml of pancake batter. Tilt pan in all directions to equally distribute batter.
2. Cook pancake on one side until golden brown. Then flip over and cook other side until golden brown. When a pancake is done, set aside and keep warm.
3. Repeat until the batter has been used up. Add butter/oil to the pan as necessary.

Serving

1. Place 2-3 tbsp of mushroom filling on a pancake. Roll up the pancake, folding in the sides.
2. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

• For this recipe, I prefer the more flavorful brown (crimini) mushrooms.
• For a version without meat, replace the diced bacon with an additional 1 tbsp of butter. Brown butter lightly before adding the onions.

Yields 4-6 servings

Preparation time about 1 hour