Balsamic Vinegar Carmelized Onions, Mushrooms and Spinach Crepes

I have been obsessed with the idea of making crepes since watching Bobby Flay’s Throwdown a few nights ago. Mind you, I pretty much think Flay is a douche bag, but one of the reasons I like watching Throwdown is because he frequently gets his ass handed to him on a plate. And the showdown between him and the lovely ladies of Flip Happy Crepes was no different. This episode, however, didn’t only allow me to revel in Flay’s loss, it placed crepes first and foremost on my mind…and I couldn’t get them out.

I have never made a crepe before…EVER. In fact, I have intentionally avoided even attempting them because of my almost obsessive fear of flipping. It’s taken me almost my entire adulthood to perfect flipping a regular pancake, so do you really think I’m going to attempt a crepe?!?! But the owners of Flip Happy really made the process seem easy and approachable, so I decided to brave it. I found a recipe from Flip Happy for Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Crepes, but I’m not really a huge fan of salmon. And as you guys know, I adore carmelized onions and mushrooms, so I decided to use those flavors instead for my filling.

After braving my first crepe experience, there are some things I am very glad I did. For one, the recipe calls for straining the batter before refrigerating. At first I thought I would just whisk the batter very well and skip this step. But a little voice in my head (no I don’t have multiple personalities…just a little voice I call Stella…who gives me great advice) told me to follow the recipe to the letter. I am almost certain this one decision helped to make my crepes good. The resulting batter was smooth, lump free and nice and buttery.

I am also glad I went with flavors I know and love instead of experimenting. It was bad enough I was trying crepes for the first time. No sense compounding things by trying a new flavor combination. And most importantly, I took the time to allow the crepes to cook on one side before (carefully) flipping them over.

For the crepe recipe itself, click the link above.

For the filling (fills approximately 6 medium sized crepes):

1 large white onion, sliced

6 ounces baby portobello mushroom, roughly chopped

2 handfuls baby spinach

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

4 to 6 ounces grated Gruyere cheese

In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until almost completely carmelized. Pour in the balsamic vinegar, reduce the heat slightly and continue to stir for another minute. Add the mushrooms and coat them completely with the vinegar. Toss in the spinach and cook until it’s wilted. Remove the filling from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

Plate one of the crepes and spoon a portion of the filling down the center of it. Top with some grated cheese and fold both of the ends towards the filling. Then fold in the sides, covering the fillings completely. I cut my crepe diagonally before happily eating them…while watching STEPHANIE KICK LISA’S ASS ON TOP CHEF!!!

Yeah bitches, Stephanie became the FIRST female Top Chef winner and Lisa went home empty handed! I feel bad that Richard choked and lost, but I’m so glad Lisa didn’t win. Seriously, I would have been happy if a Chia Pet won as long as Lisa’s ass was left out in the cold.