A luxurious brunch on Mother’s Day is practically a must. But luxurious doesn’t have to mean loads of fat.
With a little effort, you can make something spectacular that will leave everyone feeling good for the rest of the day. This salmon crepe pie with plum tomato sauce, for example, is layered with delicious, healthful ingredients and makes a presentation to be proud of.
To save time, you can make the crepes ahead, layer them between sheets of waxed paper, and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to a month.
Salmon crepe pie with plum tomato sauce
For the crepes:
1cup low-fat milk, plus more if needed
3/4cup white whole-wheat flour
2large eggs
1tablespoon canola oil
1/2teaspoon salt
For the filling:
2cups low-fat milk
2tablespoons butter
1/4cup all-purpose flour
2tablespoons fresh dill
4teaspoons lemon juice
1/4teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
Two 4-ounce packages smoked salmon, cut into bite-size pieces
1bunch of watercress
For the plum tomato sauce:
15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2teaspoons cornstarch
3teaspoons cool water
1/4teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
To make crepes, in a blender or food processor, combine the milk, flour, eggs, oil and salt. Process until smooth. Let the batter stand for 15 minutes. The batter should be about the thickness of heavy cream; add milk if necessary.
Heat a 9- to 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high. Spritz the pan with cooking spray, then hold the pan at an angle and add about 1/3 cup batter to the lower corner. Tilt the pan to quickly and evenly spread the batter over the bottom. Cook the crepe until the top is dry and the underside is lightly browned, about 1 minute. With a spatula, turn the crepe over and cook until the second side is browned, about 30 seconds more.
Slide the crepe onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 6 crepes. Cover the crepes with kitchen towel and set aside.
To make the salmon filling, in a small saucepan over medium, heat the milk until steaming.
In a second small saucepan over low, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the hot milk. Increase heat to medium-low and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
Remove the sauce from heat and stir in the dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir the salmon into the sauce and set aside.
Remove and discard any thick stems from the watercress. Coarsely chop, then set aside.
To make the tomato sauce, in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the tomatoes and oil. Bring to a simmer; cook for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water. Stir into the tomato sauce and let simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
To assemble, place 1 crepe in the center of a large serving plate. Spoon about 2/3cup of the salmon filling over the crepe, smoothing it into an even layer. Scatter one fifth of the chopped watercress on top. Top with another crepe, then repeat the layering process, finishing the stack with the sixth crepe. To serve, cut into 8 wedges and serve with the warm tomato sauce. Makes 8 servings.
Nutrition information per serving: 275 calories; 100 calories from fat; 3 g fat (4 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 98 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrate; 24 g protein; 3 g fiber; 712 mg sodium.
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