Meatless Monday: Savory Mushroom and Fennel Crepes

Food2 is jumping on board with Meatless Monday, an initiative to help reduce meat consumption for personal health and the health of the planet by going vegetarian for one day each week. This week, savory crepes that do double duty as a breakfast or dinner dish.

Savory Mushroom and Fennel Crepes

Ingredients:

Crepes:
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
3 teaspoons egg substitute mixed with 4 tablespoons of warm water
Pinch of salt
Pinch of sugar
1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Filling:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 head fennel head, quartered, core removed and sliced thinly (reserve stems for sauce)
1 1/2 cups white mushrooms
1 shallot, chopped finely
1/4 cup almond milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Sauce:
2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in cold water for 1 hour and drained
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
2 cups almond milk
Reserved fennel stems
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions

Crepes:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Make a well in the center, add egg substitute, and working outward, mix with a fork until incorporated. While continuing to mix, slowly pour in almond milk, until incorporated. Let batter rest in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for about 30 minutes. Mix two tablespoons of vegetable oil into batter.

2. Brush In a non-stick 8” pan with vegetable oil, and heat over high. When hot, pour 1/3 cup of batter mixture into the pan and spread using a spatula. Cook for approximately 1 minute. When the batter no longer appears wet, flip the crepe onto the other side and continue cooking for an additional minute. Remove and set aside on parchment paper. Repeat with remaining batter, separating finished crepes with parchment paper. Cover with a clean dish towel until ready to use.

Filling:

1. In a medium skillet, heat two tablespoons vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Add two more tablespoons of vegetable oil pan and bring to medium-high heat again. Add fennel and sauté until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Return mushrooms to the pan with fennel, add shallots and pour in almond milk. Bring to a boil, scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until fennel is tender and almond milk has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sauce:

1. In a saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook shallots until transparent, about 3-4 minutes. Add porcini mushrooms, and cook until water has evaporated, about 3/4 minutes. Add almond milk and fennel, and bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and reduced by one-third, about 12-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble crepes:

1. Add two tablespoons of fennel and mushroom filling to the center of each crepe, and fold both sides over filling, then ends. Plate three per serving. Top with porcini mushroom almond sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.