Jacques Pépin’s carrot crepes go with everything, from leftovers to weekend brunch:
The girls would line up at the kitchen counter or around the table, Pépin recalls, while he set out jars of apricot jam, strawberry preserves, and shaved chocolate in front of them, whisked together eggs, flour, and milk, and melted butter on the stove. As the crepes came hot out of the pan, each of Claudine’s friends decided for themselves what toppings to add.But the French crepe is so much more than a confectionery fantasy topped with whipped cream and jam.
Whether you decide to go sweet or savory, one of the most ingenious parts of this dish is Pépin’s decision to incorporate the carrot-cooking liquid into the batter. This trick not only imparts a deep, sweetly vegetal flavor, it is also waste-conscious. When I made this dish at home, I cooked the carrots ahead of time and cooled them down right in the pot before blending.
When made savory as the recipe suggests, these crepes have faint sweetness and a tender texture punctuated by bits of lightly browned scallion. They work well as a brunch or simple supper with ginger-spiced shrimp or smoked salmon and crème fraîche. If you decide to go in a sweeter direction, a sprinkle of powdered sugar is sufficient adornment—or gild the lily and top them with a swish of mascarpone and seasonal berries.