It's Pancake Day!

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February 5th (Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras - 'Fat Tuesday' ) is known as Pancake Day in Britain. Originally it was a way of using up all the perishable luxury ingredients (eggs and dairy products, for example) that you weren't allowed to eat in Lent. Do you cook pancakes on Shrove Tuesday? If so, do you serve them (traditionally) with sugar and lemon juice or do you like to make filled pancakes with a cheese or meat or vegetable filling? Personally, I am not overfond of sweet pancakes. I love to make savory pancakes with a filling, rolled and then baked in a cheese sauce or maybe just (for speed) folded over with grated cheese or some other filling inside, like a soft taco. Here is the recipe I invented for today. Quantities are not too specific because I cook what 'seems right' at the time. Pancake mix: Normal savory pancake mix with a tsp salt and a grind or two of pepper, slightly on the runny side so that the pancakes are fairly thin and flexible. I might include a little coconut milk or powder with the ordinary milk (you will see why from the filling). Filling: Leeks, sliced very thinly and washed Mushrooms, about the same quantity, sliced thinly Garlic, crushed (about 1 clove for 2 servings) Fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated (about 1tsp for 2 servings) A very little sesame or canola oil. In a wok or pan, cook the ginger and garlic a little, then add the leeks and the mushrooms. Cook until only barely tender (they are going to get a little more cooking later) then transfer to a sieve and press to remove as much liquid as possible. Cook as many pancakes as you need. I would suggest two or three per serving, depending on size. Reserve a little of the mixture for sealing the filled pancakes. Set them aside on a plate as you cook them. You can interleave them with greaseproof paper to prevent them sticking but I never have too much or a problem with that. When the pancakes are done, take each one and put enough of the filling in the centre so that you can turn the ends in and roll into a neat roll. Around 1 - 2 tbs, depending on the size of the pancake and what you consider the difference between a 'mouthful' and a 'serving'. Roll them neatly and arrange in a shallow pie or lasagne dish (I like an oblong dish, often called a lasagne dish, because the pancakes fit neatly). Now, this is where one can be inventive. You could pop them in the oven as they are until the tops are crisp. Alternatively, you could cook them in a sauce so that they are still soft. You might choose to serve them with a ready-made Green Thai Curry sauce (or any similar ready-made sauce) - I would choose a Thai sauce because I am fond of Thai food and flavours. In fact, I think that I will probably make a white sauce lightly flavoured with cheese (mozzarella or parmesan would be good - I happen to have cheddar, though, so I shall use a little of that with some mustard to give it an edge). Well, however it turns out ... I am an artist and never really know if its good until people (including me) try it and say so! You can count on a 90%+ success rate, however ... and whatever you are doing for the day before Lent begins ... ENJOY!!!