Fresh Pea Pancakes with Smoked Salmon, Crème Fraiche & Quail Eggs
I blogged about pea pancakes in the past but this is a different recipe that I like even better. These little green giants are really delicious. You can top them with smoked salmon and sunny side-up eggs and you’ll have a fine brunch dish, a miniature version with quail egg makes an impressive amuse-bouche, or simply leave them naked for a healthy snack. And when I said that for a few weeks in the spring all my food turns green, you thought that I was kidding, eh?
The other reason I’m blogging about this is because I bought a pack of 12 quail eggs that I’m desperately and shamelessly trying to unload. I hate to waste food! You saw them on the spring pizza, they show up again today… and you might meet again! If I get desperate enough I might make the smallest omelette in the world and be done with them. Who wants to eat the smallest omelette, ever?
What makes these so good is that part of the pea batter is pureed while the rest of the peas are incorporated into it which gives them great textural contrast. Of course the Scotch smoked salmon on top doesn’t hurt and plays nice against the natural sweetness of the peas, and together with the creamy yolk and crème fraiche it makes a very luxurious bite. And if you happen to have caviar hanging around your refrigerator… well use it here. Or give it to me. I beg you.
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Fresh Pea Pancakes with Smoked Salmon, Crème fraiche and Quail Eggs
(Pea pancakes adapted from Jean Georges Vongerichten) - (Makes about 12 small pancakes, or 20 amuse-bouche size)
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Fresh pea pancakes recipe:
- 8 ounces (about 1 1/2 cup), fresh or frozen and thawed peas
- 1 egg
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- about 2 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil
- 1/2 pound Scotch smoked salmon
- 12 quail eggs or hen egg
- lemon
- crème fraiche
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For the fresh pea pancakes with smoked salmon & quail egg:
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil and blanch them until tender, about 1 or 2 minutes. Drain, then run under cold running water until cold.
- Set 1/3 of the peas aside and puree the remaining pea in a food processor with the egg. The mixture should be smooth, if not add one or two tablespoons of water.
- Place the puree in a bowl and whisk in the flour, salt and pepper and the reserved whole peas. The mixture should have the consistency of pancake batter, adjust the amount of flour accordingly.
- Place 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet and heat over medium-high heat and spoon the batter with a spoon to make pancakes. Don’t crowd the pan too much. Cook gently, about 3 minutes per side, taking care not to color them too much.
- Place the pea pancakes on a plate and keep warm while you cook the rest of the batter.
- Keep the skillet on medium heat and add a little more oil. Break the quail eggs or hen eggs in a ramequin taking care not to break the yolk and transfer to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and cook to sunny-side up. You can use a small pastry cutter to trim the eggs into perfect rounds or ovals.
- Top the warm pea pancakes with smoked salmon. Squeeze some lemon juice over them and top each pancake with an egg. Serve immediately with crème fraiche.
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