At The Tea House, we are currently of the opinion that the above dish could do with being renamed; not due to any current inaccuracy but because it takes a long time to say and we’re lazy. Besides, when you’re hungry and asking the waiting staff what today’s specials are, you don’t want to listen to your own stomach grumble through endless descriptions of “a subtle yet racy tarte aux oignons with a hint of chillies, slathered in a gentle cornichon sauce”; you want to hear “Pie, Lasagne or jacket potato?” to which you say “Jacket potato with what?” … “Beans or cheese” …. “I’ll have the beans”. Job done.
Anyone who makes this recipe has my permission to call it ‘Pancakes with savoury filling’ (I chose not to just in case I make something similar, but not identical, on another occasion). You also have my permission to pretend to your friends that you invented it – I shall take it as a compliment.
The dill works really well in the pancake batter and the kidney beans give a semi-sweet kick against the backdrop of meaty mushrooms and sharp Tenderstem broccoli. Alternatively, “mmmmmmmm”.
Pancake batter
Vegan
- 3 heaped tablespoons plain flour
- 1 teaspoon soya flour
- 2/3 pint of soya milk
- salt
- Finely chopped fresh dill
Veggie
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 pint of milk
- 4oz / 115g plain flour
- salt
- Finely chopped fresh dill
You’ll also need some butter or oil for frying the pancakes
Filling
- Tenderstem broccoli (about half a pack)
- Mushrooms (one large or a handful of regular mushrooms per person)
- Garlic (lots, obviously)
- Red kidney beans (about one tablespoon per person)
- Oil for frying
- Handful of plain flour
- Vegetable stock
- Balsamic vinegar
- Agave nectar (optional)
- Coconut milk or cream (dairy or plant-based equivalent)
- Start by making the pancake batter. Blend all ingredients in a blender and leave it to one side while you get on with making the filling.
- Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes and put to one side.
- Fry the mushrooms then add garlic when they get to the point where they’re leaking mushroom juice. Fry a bit longer to start the garlic cooking.
- Throw on some flour and stir it in, keeping the pan on the heat.
- When you can no longer visually identify the flour, add enough stock to almost cover the mushrooms and let it simmer.
- Add some balsamic vinegar to taste
- Add kidney beans and cooked broccoli
- Add agave nectar to help bring out the sweetness of the kidney beans – if you don’ like your savouries too sweet then you can happily skip this step
- Add coconut milk or cream, how much depends on desired consistency
- Leave pan on a very low heat while you start cooking the pancakes
- Heat oil or butter in a frying pan – hot butter will sizzle and hot oil will smoke a bit.
- Pour some of your pancake mixture into the centre of the frying pan and move the pan to swirl the mixture around. Your pancake will begin to solidify quite quickly so start shaking the pan when that happens in order to loosen it so you can toss it over and cook the other side. If it’s particularly recalcitrant, try levering up the edges of the pancake with a suitable cooking implement.
- Now you’re ready to toss IF you are one of these supremely confident people who doesn’t drop four out of five pancakes they try this with. An alternative is to get a wide spatula and work it under the pancake so you can flip it over without risk to your ceiling, floor or patience. You may want to flip a few times to get it cooked to your requirements.
- Place pancake on a plate and spoon some of the filling into the middle then fold the pancake over it.
- Serve and enjoy!