Kingsmill Resort Serves Chicken Crepes Veronique
by Janet Groene

Peter Pahk, executive chef at Kingsmill Resort Williamsburg, Virginia, goes retro with a return to creamy, chicken-filled crepes. In grandmother's day the dish was a favorite for brunch or for ladies' luncheons. Guests at the resort hail its return to an elegant menu. The popular plated Sunday brunch is served in the resort's Bray Bistro. The luxury spa resort also has four other dining venues plus room service.

Pahk, a native of Hawaii, began his culinary training there, then went on to Syracuse University and Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park NY. His career has included posts at Ritz-Carlton hotels worldwide. He is a member of the James Beard Foundation, holds the America's 2000 Award granted to outstanding North American chefs, and he avidly supports environmental causes such as Slow Foods USA and Seafood Watch.

He's proud to report that his crepe recipe was given to him personally by Julia Child. With its high egg-to-flour ratio it's not only richer but more flexible for easier filling and handling by the home cook.

Chicken Crepes Veronique

 

Basic Crepe Batter

• ½ cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Pinch of salt
• Combine ingredients in a blender and blend 30 seconds. Scrape down sides and blend 60 seconds more. Strain batter, cover, and let it stand one hour. It will make 10 crepes. Meanwhile, make the filling.

 

Chicken Filling

• 1 pound chicken thighs, diced
• 5 ounces strong chicken broth
• 5 ounces white wine
• 8 ounces heavy cream
• ½ cup celery, diced
• ½ cup onion, diced
• ½ cup seedless grapes, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

 

Saute chicken until brown. Remove. Sauté celery and onion until soft. Remove. Make a sauce with the white wine, chicken broth and heavy cream. Add the chicken and vegetables to the wine sauce and add the grapes. Remove from heat. Add parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Make crepes in an 8-inch crepe pan, cooking on both sides until crepes are firm and golden brown. Divide chicken filling among ten crepes, fold crepes over filling, then hold in a 250-degree oven until served. Makes 10 filled crepes.

Pahk serves two crepes per person, completing the plate with steamed asparagus or a vegetable medley and a light finish of a sauce consisting of half classic Hollandaise, half classic veloute.

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GABY'S CHILLED SMOKED TOMATO SOUP
by Thei Zervaki

SERVES 8 to 10

 

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers, fire-roasted (see below)
• 3 medium yellow onions, julienned (smoked for 1 hour*)
• 2 quarts tomatoes, diced and peeled (smoked for 1 hour*)
• 1 cup v8 juice
• 2 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp cilantro, rough chop
• 2 tbsp basil, chiffonade cut
• 2 ½ tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp blended oil
• salt and pepper to taste

 

METHOD

To fire-roast red peppers, place them on the grill and burn the skin of the peppers on all sides. Place burned peppers in a mixing bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. This is to steam the peppers. Let them stand for 30 minutes. Remove plastic and peel off the burnt skins. Remove the seeds and cool.

To peel tomatoes, drop them into boiling water for five seconds then transfer immediately into an ice bath. Peel and dice.

* To smoke the tomatoes and onions, place a deep pan on an outside grill and line the bottom of the pan with your choice of wood chips. Place the tomatoes and onions on a perforated grate or pan directly above, but not touching, the wood chips. Cover and smoke for one hour.

After smoking the onions and tomatoes, separate a quarter of both ingredients and set aside for garnish.

Saute the remainder of the onions. Place sautéed onion, remaining smoked tomatoes, fire-roasted red peppers,

V-8 Juice, honey and salt and pepper in a bowl and chill.

 

GARNISH:

Medium dice the reserved tomatoes and onions. Drain the diced tomatoes well. In a blender, emulsify the lemon juice and oil. Set aside in a separate bowl. Add the diced tomatoes, onion, basil and cilantro and toss.

 

PLATING:

• 8 oz ladles smoked tomato soup into individual bowls
• 2 oz garnish each serving with diced tomato and onion mixture
• 1 piece crostini, garlic bread or other bread of choice on the side

Recipe by Chef Yann Chupin, Executive Chef, The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation