Pancake Tuesday falls on 1st March this year. Growing up, this was always a much looked-forward-to day of the year for me, I mean pancakes with lemon and sugar for dinner? Count me in. However, in recent years, I like to have more savoury takes on the pancake- followed by the traditional way for dessert, of course.
It’s not technically messing with tradition though, as Shrove Tuesday started as a way to use up all the eggs and fats in your house before starting your fast on Lent the next day (Ash Wednesday) All the more reason to have a feast of both main course and dessert consisting of pancakes.
Unless a different kind of pancake is being used in the suggestions below (for which a link is provided), pancakes are as easy as 1, 2, 3…
100g flour
2 large eggs
300ml milk
Whisk the above ingredients in a large bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.
Heat a pan to medium-high and brush it with oil rather than pouring oil in.
You may need to do a ‘first pancake’ as a tester, ladle the batter into the pan in one pour, keeping it so that the batter is thin.
Allow to cook for about a minute, then flip and cook the other side.
Cook off all the batter in this way, making sure to wipe the pan with oil after each pancake.
Now you just need to fill the pancakes in a way that makes you happy!
5 Savoury Pancakes
1. Mrs Smyth’s Kimchi/Vegan Kimchi and scallions
If you try these kimchi pancakes, I can pretty much guarantee you you’ll be adding them to your repertoire of easy go-to meals. They’re lip-smackingly good and can be wolfed down on their own or used as part of a meal, I like to go ‘san choy bao’ style cradling the halved pancakes in lettuce cups with fresh coriander and other tasty morsels I feel like adding that day. I recommended these pancakes to a couple of vegan customers and, after trying them out for themselves, they first thanked me then advised me that to make them vegan they simply used one tablespoon of chia seeds soaked in water to equal one egg. As always just replace the cow’s milk with any alternative milk you like (I used oat)
2. Shredded Sheridans Duck Leg Confit and Flayver’s Korean BBQ sauce
As this was inspired by Peking Duck with pancakes, I do recommend trying your hand at the Chinese style pancakes rather than our traditional fare. It just works better. I used China Sichuan Food‘s recipe and was pretty pleased with the result first time making it. Once you’ve prepped your pancakes, cook the Sheridan’s confit duck as per the instructions. While the duck cooks, cook the pancakes in a pan and keep warm. Serve with slim batons of cucumber and sliced scallions. After trying a few different sauces, it was Flayver Food Co’s Korean BBQ sauce that was so reminiscent of hoi sin that I couldn’t look past it. It’s got the fruity plum sweetness that you need.
3. Erne Larder Irish Stout and Onion Chutney & Young Buck
Stout and Young Buck go hand in hand, just like cheese and chutney. So the combo here of Erne Larder’s Irish Stout and Onion Chutney with crumbled Young Buck on a freshly cooked pancake is no surprise. Load up on regular pancakes and enjoy.
4. Cooleeny & Blackberry and Thyme Burren Balsamic
The mushroom notes of this camembert-style cheese are heightened by the blackberry and thyme in the Burren Balsamic (Great Taste AND Blas na hEireann award-winning). Have on a regular pancake but make sure to get the Cooleeny nice and gooey under a grill first, then drizzle over the balsamic.
5. Harry’s Nut Butter– Extra Hot, banana and crispy bacon bits
I’ve been eating Harry’s Nut Butter- Extra Hot on toast with squashed banana for some time now, and frequently I ponder how EXTRA it would be to add some crispy bacon bits. I’m very much looking forward to eating this again in pancake form come Tuesday! It straddles the sweet and savoury tightrope so beautifully.
5 Sweet Pancakes
1. Cloudberry’s Sea Salted Caramel Spread
Need I say more.
2. The Little Bakehouse Lemon Curd and The Clare Jam Co. Extra Strawberry with Champagne
Have them both on your crêpes or choose your favourite and slather it on. Treat yourself and add Nibbed Dark Chocolate, Walnut and orange on top!
3. Summerhill Honey
It’s pure, proper raw honey made in Loughries, Co.Down. Simply get a tablespoonfull and pour over your ready pancake, you won’t need much more than that. Except maybe Abernethy Butter, ‘cus real honey and real butter are what Irish dreams are made of.
4. Harry’s Nut Butter Chocolate Spread, Hazel Mountain’s Milk Chocolate Marshmallows, and Kilbeggan Cookies
Heading into super-sweet territory here with these ingredients. Slather the Chocolate spread, then melt some marshmallows under the grill (be careful not to touch!) Lastly, crumble over the Kilbeggan Cookie.
5. Green Fingers Family Granola and yoghurt
If you’re a breakfast for dinner type of person and you’re having your pancakes in the evening, add Green Fingers Family Berry Bliss or Peanut Butter Raspberry Granola and a dollop of yoghurt. For extra zing, sprinkle Ballyhoura’s Freeze Dried fruit over to top it all off.
