Featured Recipe
Savory Crepes Burritos
By Kate
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Savory crepes made from a rebalanced batter with a smoky chorizo and caramelized onion filling, wrapped and pan-fried to a golden crisp. Melted smoked gouda replaces cheddar, giving a deep flavor twist. Olive oil and butter balance richness during cooking. The mixture thickens properly when the chorizo fat renders out. Crisp edges, tender inside. Sour cream and smoky chipotle salsa add the final punch. No nuts, pork-based, adapted for everyday kitchens, yields four servings.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
35 min
Total:
60 min
Serves:
4 servings
crepes
burritos
chorizo
dinner
fusion
Introduction
Crepes turn simple to wow. Swap usual Italian sausage for chorizo, add smoky gouda. Batter needs patience, rest helps gluten relax, texture light but elastic. Watch heat—too high burns, too low sticks. Filling thickens, fats render, aroma fills kitchen. Fold tight or risk spill. Final crisp step makes difference—texture contrast, flavor caramelization. Serve with chipotle salsa, slight smoky heat and crema cool sharp edges. Easy to handroll, portable, filling balanced—fat, acid, cheese, crunch.
Ingredients
Crepes
- 1 large egg
- 280 ml (1 1/4 cups) whole milk
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 ml (1/8 tsp) kosher salt
- Butter or neutral oil for cooking
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
- 200 g spicy chorizo sausage, casing removed
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) smoky chipotle salsa, store-bought or homemade
- 200 ml (3/4 cup) shredded smoked gouda cheese
- Creme fraiche or Mexican crema, for serving
Filling
About the ingredients
Flour and milk ratio crucial; affects batter consistency and crepe texture. You can swap whole milk for half milk, half seltzer water for lighter crepes but expect less flavor. Keep butter or oil ready for pan, too dry will stick and tear crepes. Onions need gentle caramelizing, patience wins. Chorizo’s fat renders slowly; don’t rush stirring or meat dries out. Cheese can substitute with smoky mozzarella if unavailable. Salsa choice affects moisture—choose one with more chunks, less watery juice. Oil type counts; olive oil adds fruitiness but watch temperature to avoid smoke points. Butter finishing touch optional but adds flavor and browning.
Method
Filling Preparation
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy pan. Toss in onions, stir occasionally. Look for translucent edges and a golden tint — should soften but not burn (about 6-8 minutes).
- Add chorizo, use wooden spoon to break apart. Cook until aromatic and the fat starts bubbling, meat browns with little crisp bits, 6-7 minutes. No pink showing; gives flavor depth.
- Pour in salsa, stir through. Let simmer to reduce moisture until thickening, almost sticky. Should coat spoon without sliding off immediately (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat, keep warm.
- Combine egg, milk, flour, salt in a blender or whisk vigorously till smooth. Thicker than pancake batter but still fluid — proper crepes need balance between viscosity and flow. Rest batter 15 minutes if time allows.
- Heat a 22-23 cm (9-inch) nonstick pan over medium heat. Lightly brush with melted butter or oil for even cooking without smoking.
- Pour a thin layer ~60-70 ml (1/4 cup) batter, tilt pan swiftly to coat. Edges lifting from pan signal ready to flip — golden spots underneath, about 1-2 minutes per side.
- Stack crepes on plate, cover with foil to maintain pliability. If batter sticks, add a touch more fat to pan or check pan temp (too hot causes burning, too low—pale and tough).
- Place crepe on clean surface. Spoon 2-3 tbsp chorizo filling down center lengthwise.
- Sprinkle with cheese evenly to melt later. Fold short edges over filling, then fold or roll gently but snugly to form burrito shape.
- Heat pan again with a teaspoon of oil or butter. Lay folded crepes seam side down to seal.
- Cook 3-4 minutes per side until gold and crispy, cheese melted inside. Press lightly with spatula for even surface contact, listen for gentle crackle.
- Serve hot with dollop of crema and extra chipotle salsa if desired.
Crepe Batter
Assembly and Final Cooking
Technique Tips
Browning onions adds sweetness; medium heat to avoid burning. Chorizo cooks through when color turns deep pink to light brown; rendered fat signals cooking done. Salsa reduction takes a few minutes—watch for visual thickening, coat spoon thickly. Batter blending is your chance to control smoothness and texture—no lumps or grainy bits. Rest time lets bubbles dissipate. Crepe cooking needs confident moves—pan tilting spreads batter evenly. Edges curling from pan sign readiness to flip, golden spots define doneness. Crepes stack wrapped warm or cover with clean towel to hold moisture. Folding method matters; sides folded tight over filling keeps it all together when frying. Frying final step crisps outsides; listen for gentle sizzle, flip carefully to avoid tearing. Serve with cool, tangy cream and smoky salsa contrast. Timing is sight and sound rather than exact minutes.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Watch the onions. Medium heat is key. Patience matters. Look for translucent edges, light caramelization. Avoid burning, focus on even cooking. Broken bits add flavor.
- 💡 Adjust chorizo fat carefully. Render it well. Don't rush. Brown bits add depth. Skipping this gets dry flavors. Filling must be thick, clingy. Keep an eye on moisture.
- 💡 Use a reliable pan. Nonstick is great, but heat control's critical. Too hot leads to tears; too cool, gummy centers. Brush with oil or butter frequently to prevent sticking.
- 💡 Crepe batter needs rest time. Let it sit if possible. Gluten relaxes, results improve. Mix thoroughly till smooth but avoid over-blending. Flow matters more than lumps.
- 💡 Final crisp is key. Heat the pan right up. Listen for that gentle sizzle. Golden brown edges are the goal. Press gently but don’t force; give them room to breathe.
