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The Review - FOOD AND DRINK - Cooking with CLARE
Published: 19 February 2009

The art of making a good pancake means following a number of rules

Pancakes are flippin’ great!

Don’t worry, you can perfect your pancake- making technique in time for Shrove Tuesday – just stick at it, says Clare Latimer

I’M not quite sure why, but I love making perfect, thin pancakes.
There is something very satisfying about getting them right and then filling them or dousing them in something delicious. There are a few rules to making the perfect pancake and if you stick to them rigidly then nothing can go wrong.
Here they are:
• Make sure you have a really good non-stick pan about 25cm in diameter.
• Let the batter rest after blending for about 30 minutes.
• Use a good flour.
• Make sure that no flour is stuck to the edge of the blender.
• Have a saucer of oil by the hot pan and, using a piece of kitchen roll, just wipe the pan in between each pancake cooking.
• Measure the batter in a tablespoon and then tip into the pan and this will ensure that each pancake is the same size and will not be too thick.
• Expect to throw the first pancake away as it rarely works well.
• Make them in advance if you wish, as they freeze very well. Perhaps do them in batches of six if you want to use a few at a time.
• Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to savoury pancakes.

Standard Pancakes
Ingredients
(makes about 12)
125g flour
Pinch salt
Two eggs
10 fl oz milk
A little oil.

Method
Put all the ingredients into a blender on high for one minute, making sure that the flour does not stick to the sides. (See further recipes in case you want to add extra ingredients.) Leave to stand for 30 minutes. Soak a kitchen towel in a little oil and wipe round a small preheated frying pan. Pour one tablespoon of batter into a spoon; pour into the pan and tilt immediately to spread round the base. Cook on a high heat, turning once so that they are golden on each side. Continue until the mixture is used. Pile up the pancakes on an upturned plate and cover with a damp cloth.

Fishy pancakes
Ingredients
(makes about 12)
This would be great for a smart starter for a dinner party or just as a casual main course. It is lovely and fresh with a Japanese taste of the pickled ginger. Use the pancake mix as above but add one handful of fresh parsley and one dessertspoon of freshly grated Parmesan before blending.

Ingredients
Serves 4
1 x 200ml carton crème fraîche
1 tsp horseradish sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
400g smoked salmon slices
Few sprigs fresh dill, to garnish
Half a lime.

Method
Mix the crème fraîche with the horseradish in a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add more or less horseradish sauce, depending on its strength. Lay out the pancakes one at a time; scrunch a quarter of the smoked salmon and place on the pancake. Spoon in a quarter of the crème fraîche mix and fold in half and half again. Place on a plate and garnish with dill and squeeze over a little of the fresh lime juice.

Caribbean style
If you can’t get out to the Caribbean at the moment, this is the next best thing. Oh well, one can dream!

Ingredients
Serves 4
1 ripe pineapple
25g dark brown sugar
1 glass (wine size) dark rum
25g butter
8 pancakes, add 1 tsp block coconut, crumbled at blending point
1 small tub soured cream.

Method
Peel the pineapple and cut into 1cm cubes.
Put the brown sugar and a little of the rum into a large frying pan and then add the pineapple.
Toss around for about three minutes over a medium heat to get the sugar and rum flavour right through the fruit flesh. Remove and put into a bowl.
Put the pan back on a low heat; add the butter and a little more rum. Carefully place in one pancake and let it soak up the juices.
Put a spoonful of the pineapple into the middle of the pancake and then roll up using a spatula.
Put to the side of the pan and then repeat with the other pancakes.
If you run out of space just place two pancake parcels on each warmed dessert plates, and then top with a spoonful of the soured cream and serve immediately.

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