The Aussie Gourmet: Crepe Suzette

Crepe Suzette

By Naomi Nachman

I am writing up this recipe from Paris, France. I am working for Kosher River Cruises this coming week on a river cruise leaving from Paris up the Sienne River to the Normandy Beaches. I was asked to join the crew to do cooking demonstrations on French cuisine.

I actually got this recipe from my dad over 20 years ago. My dad has always enjoyed French cooking and toyed around with recipes in the kitchen. He once served this to me and my brother at the dinner table; my dad brought the pan to the table and lit the sauce on fire, as it is traditionally prepared. We loved the dramatic effect and always looked forward to this dessert.

Ingredients

◦ 3 eggs ◦ 1 cup flour ◦ 1½ cups water ◦ 1 teaspoon oil ◦ ½ teaspoon salt

Sauce

◦ 1/3 cup butter or margarine ◦ 1/3 cup honey ◦ ¾ cup orange juice ◦ 1 teaspoon orange zest ◦ 1 teaspoon vanilla ◦ ¼ cup orange Liqueur ◦ 3 tablespoons brandy

Preparation

Prepare the crepes:

Mix all the ingredients in a food processor and let stand for 15 minutes.

Heat a 9-inch nonstick frying pan or crepe pan over medium heat. Coat pan with a drop of oil and spread it around carefully with a paper towel.

Pour enough batter into the pan to just cover it, about ⅓-cup. Gently swirl the pan to coat the entire bottom with batter. Cook until the top is just set and the crepe is cooked through. Remove from pan to cool.

Repeat with remaining batter.

Fold crepes into half, then half again. Set aside.

Prepare the sauce:

In a 12-inch frying pan, heat butter and honey until melted

Add remaining ingredients except brandy and cook on low heat for a few minutes till it thickens a bit.

Once slightly thickened, add 4 crepes into the pan and spoon sauce around to make sure each crepe is bathing in the sauce.

When ready to serve, do this part at the table to impress your guests.

Swirl brandy around crepes.

Set a match to it carefully and watch the small flame dance over the crepes. The flame burns off any alcohol.

Naomi Nachman, the owner of The Aussie Gourmet, caters weekly and Shabbat/ Yom Tov meals for families and individuals within The Five Towns and neighboring communities, with a specialty in Pesach catering. Naomi is a contributing editor to this paper and also produces and hosts her own weekly radio show on the Nachum Segal Network stream called “A Table for Two with Naomi Nachman.” Naomi gives cooking presentations for organizations and private groups throughout the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. In addition, Naomi has been a guest host on the QVC TV network and has been featured in cookbooks, magazines as well as other media covering topics related to cuisine preparation and personal chefs. To obtain additional recipes, join The Aussie Gourmet on Facebook or visit Naomi’s blog. Naomi can be reached through her website, www.theaussiegourmet.com or at (516) 295-9669.