Relishing It

This recipe blew me away!  How’s that for an opening?  When I read about these savory pancakes, I figured they’d be delicious– the flavors sounded like they really worked well together.  But I had no idea that they would meld into such a heavenly combination.  The first bite was, honestly, a revelation.

This dish comes from the amazing Yotam Ottolenghi.  He owns the highly-regarded Ottolenghi restaurant in London’s Notting Hill district.  This recipe can be found in his latest cookbook– devoted to vegetables– called Plenty.  Both the recipes and presentation are brilliant.  The photography, ingredients, and flavor combinations of his creations are an inspiration.

Aside from their incredible flavor, these pancakes are also a perfect way to get more greens into your day.  I used rainbow Swiss chard, along with green onions and cumin in the batter– they combine into a wonderful flavor.  But the real showstopper in this dish is the cilantro lime butter.  It is not subtle– more like a ‘flavor punch’ to your tastebuds.  You won’t need to use all of the butter on your pancakes, but you should make the entire amount. Once you taste it, you’ll see why.  I’m already thinking of other foods to put it on, like grilled sweet corn and sweet potatoes.  These pancakes make a fantastic star for any brunch menu, but work just as well for dinner, given their savory flavor.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

The Recipe:  Savory Green Pancakes with Cilantro Lime Butter

Serves 3-4

Cilantro Lime Butter

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, soft, but somewhat cold

grated zest of 1 lime

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely minced

dash of chile flakes, to taste

Savory Green Pancakes

1/2 pound (8 ounces) Swiss Chard, washed, stems removed

3/4 cup self – rising flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 egg

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2/3 cup milk (I used 2%)

5-6 medium green onions, finely sliced

1 fresh green chili, thinly sliced  (more if you prefer heat)

1 egg white

olive oil for frying

(Note: to make self-rising flour, combine 1 cup flour, 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt)

To make the cilantro lime butter: Place the somewhat chilled butter in a medium bowl (I liked working with the butter slightly chilled, because it was easy to roll into a log — it does take a little more muscle to get the ingredients mixed into it).  Mix in the rest of the ingredients until the butter mixture is creamy and uniform.  I formed the butter into a log using the wrapper from the butter,  you could also use plastic wrap and twist the ends of the wrap.  Chill until firm.

Wilt the Swiss chard in a hot frying pan with a splash of water.  Drain in a colander and when completely cool, squeeze out the remaining liquid using a paper towel or your hands.  Chop well and set aside.

Place the flour, baking powder, whole egg, melted butter, salt, cumin, and milk in a large mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.  Add the green onions, chiles, and Swiss Chard and combine with a spoon.  Whisk the egg white to soft peaks (I used my electric mixer, but you could do it by hand) and gently fold into the batter.

Pour a small amount of olive oil into a heavy frying pan and place on medium-high heat.  For each pancake, ladle 2 tablespoons of the batter into the pan.  These are meant to be small pancakes, about 3 inches in diameter and 3/8-inch thick.  Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, or until you get a beautiful golden color.   Enjoy with a small slice of the cilantro lime butter placed on each pancake.

Source:  Adapted from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Cookbook, Plenty

Thanks for stopping by today — hope you all have a glorious weekend!

Laurie

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