serves 6
6 crêpes (recipe below)
1 whole duckling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
1 pound wild mushrooms (porcini, oyster, chanterelles, morels, etc.) or use portabella mushrooms, roughly cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 batch béchamel sauce (recipe below)
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon chopped Italian parsley
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Make the crêpes and reserve.
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Wash duck and pat dry inside and out. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place on rack in roasting pan. Roast in a preheated 350° oven for 30 to 35 minutes per pound. Remove from the oven and cool enough to handle. Remove all the meat from the duck and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Reserve.
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Place the butter in a large saucepan and place over medium heat. When the butter melts, add the onions and sweat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes.
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Remove the mushrooms from the pan (allow them to cool) and return the pan to high heat. Deglaze with the dry sherry and reduce till nearly dry. Add the heavy cream and reduce by half. Remove the pan from the stove and whisk in the soft butter. Season with salt and white pepper.
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When the mushrooms are cool, stir in the shredded duck, béchamel sauce and Swiss cheese. Mix.
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Spread the mixture between the crêpes and spread it out evenly. Fold the crêpes in quarters and place on a buttered baking sheet.
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Bake the stuffed crêpes in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. Serve with the warm dry-sherry cream and a sprinkling of parsley.
Crêpe Batter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
canola oil for frying pan
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In a blender, combine the eggs, water, milk and salt. Blend briefly at medium speed to combine. Add the flour and blend. After the flour has been thoroughly incorporated, with the blender still going at medium speed, add the melted butter in a slow stream, and blend until combined. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
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To make the crepes, you can either use a crepe pan (follow the instructions that came with the pan) or a plain 10-inch nonstick skillet. Heat the pan on medium heat and add a small splash of oil. Ladle 2 ounces (1/4 cup) of batter into the pan and tip the pan to spread the batter evenly across the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Cook briefly on this side until it lightly browns and then flip it over (you can use a rubber spatula to assist with this) to cook the other side for 30 seconds.
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Remove from pan and layer on a plate, repeating with the remaining batter and a little oil in the pan. Recipe makes about ten 8-inch crepes. Keep covered with plastic until needed.
Bechamel Sauce
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
Salt and white pepper
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Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.
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Add the milk and continue to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring the sauce to a boil and season with salt and white pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more.