Recipe For The Perfect Party Appetizer

These are so awesome that you will want to bite the screen. Seriously. On a regular basis I participate in the Leftover Queen’s Royal Foodie Joust   even,  if I may be so prideful, winning one.

This month’s ingredients were mushrooms, cheese, and herbs.  I had at first thought of Parmesan and mushroom palmiers, which are something that I love but I wanted something different…unique.  Unusual. Hmmm. I have been fascinated with Beggars’ Purses since I read about them a few years ago but had not taken the time to make them…hmmm..Maybe? I clicked through my mental flavor rolodex and came up with…ah..perfection!

Tempting,  aren’t they?

Mushroom, Oregano, and Gorgonzola  Beggars’ Purses in Brown Butter Sauce.  The filling is a nice juxtaposition of mushrooms, garlic, onion, and oregano with a salty bite from the gorgonzola.  It is rich and creamy  in the mouth followed by a slow, surprising heat from, what else? A tiny touch of smoky dried chipotle.  White flour crepes would have been too bland for this, so whole wheat crepes add their delicate, nutty flavor and enhance the nuttiness of the browned butter.

Wow. I love it. I am so pleased with how these came out! I think you will be, too.  Make sure you get whole chives for the ties, they need to be long and set them in boiling water for no more than a minute or they are too hard to work with. The filling and crepes could be  done ahead and assembled at the last minute.

Mushroom, Oregano, and Gorgonzola  Beggars’ Purses

Make Crepes:

3 eggs

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup milk

pinch salt

Blend together in blender until smooth.  Set aside for about an hour for the gluten to relax.

Filling:

8 oz mushrooms, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 tsp dried chipotle granules (optional)

1 onion, chopped

1/3 c fresh oregeno, stems removed and leaves chopped.

6 ozs of gorgonzola  cheese, crumbled.

1 Tbs olive oil, 2 Tbs butter for sauteeing.

Saute all ingredients except cheese in pan until soft, and almost creamy, and flavors have blended.  Stir in gorgonzola and set aside.

For Crepes:

Heat a nonstick pan on a burner and rub a stick of butter over the pan. Pour in about 3 tbs batter and swirl pan to get a thin coating on pan.  Cook batter until edges brown.  With your fingertips peel crepe from pan and flip it for a few seconds. Put on plate. Put one tablespoon or so on center of crepe and bring edges up around it. Tie with chive stalk.

Bake at 350F for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile put 1/2 c butter in a pan and simmer until amber brown without stirring.

Pour butter sauce on plate.  Set Beggars Purses on plate and spoon more sauce over top. Garnish with some gorgonzola.  Serve immediately. Makes 12