The Professor's Notes

As I mentioned, the Magic Pan post I wrote back in January 2008 seems to have drawn daily interest.  It was even cited in WIkipedia! (How cool is that?)

Given that so many people wanted recipes (and @melanig from twitter wanted vegetarian!) I have putting up yet another recipe. (see post here for basic crepe recipe!)

Magic Pan Banana Crepes Chantilly

You take a fresh crepe, and spread it with apricot jam. Then you slice one
banana (just ripe, not mushy), carefully toss the slices with a little brown
sugar and sweet vermouth, and let them steep for a couple of minutes. You lay the
steeped banana slices in a line across the middle of the crepe, blanket the
line in whipped cream, and then flap the crepe edges one over the other around
the puffy line of bananas and whipped cream. Finally, you dust the outside of
the rolled crepe with powdered sugar, top it with another dollop of whipped
cream, top the dollop of cream with toasted slivered almonds and maybe a banana
slice and a mint sprig.

Wow, the response is amazing! This recipe was one of my all time favorites growing up.  My memories of the Magic Pan Restaurant mostly center around the one in Bethesda Maryland.  It was a favorite spot for us after church on Sundays, or when we would have a “significant event” (Our piano recitals, and such.)  Occasionally we would even go there after attending the Piano Concert series at the Kennedy Center.  Ahh, good times.

The Magic Pan Chicken Crepe Elegante
Yield: 6 servings.

For crepes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

For filling:
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To prepare crepes: Sift flour and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Add eggs; mix thoroughly (mixture will form a thick paste). Add milk gradually, beating until smooth. Batter will have the consistency of heavy cream. Cover bowl; refrigerate for 2 hours.

Brush a hot crepe pan with oil or melted butter. Pour in about 1 1/2 tablespoons of batter, depending on the size of the pan. Tip the pan to coat it with a thin layer of batter. Cook over medium-high heat until crepe is golden brown, about 1 minute, then turn and brown other side. Continue cooking crepes, adding oil or butter to pan as needed.

To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring stock to a boil in a small pan. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour. Cook, stirring for 1 minute.  Gradually add stock. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken, salt, pepper, parsley and chives.

Beat egg yolks and half-and-half in a small mixing bowl. Add a little of the hot sauce; mix well. Stir egg mixture into remaining hot sauce in pan.  Put a portion of the mixture in the center of each crepe. Roll up crepes.

Place in a buttered oven-to-table baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 10 to 15 minutes. Serve at once.

PER SERVING: 500 calories; 34g fat (61 percent calories from fat); 11g saturated fat; 248mg cholesterol; 24.5g protein; 23.5g carbohydrate; 5g sugar; 1g fiber; 519mg sodium; 173mg calcium; 285mg potassium.

Before I go much further, I think people everywhere should have the basic crepe recipe!  So here you are:

For crepes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

To prepare crepes: Sift flour and salt together into a large mixing bowl.
Add eggs; mix thoroughly (mixture will form a thick paste). Add milk
gradually, beating until smooth. Batter will have the consistency of heavy
cream. Cover bowl; refrigerate for 2 hours.

Brush a hot crepe pan with oil or melted butter. Pour in about 1 1/2
tablespoons of batter, depending on the size of the pan. Tip the pan to
coat it with a thin layer of batter. Cook over medium-high heat until crepe
is golden brown, about 1 minute, then turn and brown other side. Continue
cooking crepes, adding oil or butter to pan as needed.

Wow.   Out of all the posts on my blog the one that seems to have touched the most readers, and driven traffic to my site, was the post on the Magic Pan Restaurant.  The post was initially driven simply from a professional/academic interest in the way the company “Poka-Yoke‘d” their process to make perfect crepes every time.  But as I was writing, and researching, I found myself falling into the nostalgia…. of the time, the place, and the memories.  (See the Wiki entry here)

Apparently I was not alone.  Many who visit share in the comments section their memories of the restaurant, and of their time eating, working, or just hanging, there.  Some have even shared the “deep dark secrets” of the contents of some of my favorite recipes.  (Go read the comments! Interesting!)

In addition, many have asked for people to post recipes.  I have found a few online, and while I encourage all to visit the web sources, I will be posting a few here over the next few weeks and months.  So, enjoy!

MAGIC PAN RESTAURANT POTAGE ST GERMAIN (Pea Soup) (from Phaedrus)

This pea soup recipe is from the Magic Pan Restaurant.

1 (1 pound) ham bone
4 1/2 cups water
1 (13 ounce) can chicken broth
2 cups split peas
2/3 cup finely chopped leeks or green onions
1/3 cup finely chopped carrots
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon thyme
Bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup chopped ham, cooked
1/2 cup chopped chicken (cooked) (optional)

Place ham bone in large pot. Add water, chicken stock and peas and bring to
boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for 30
minutes.

Sauté the onions, carrots and celery just until limp. Add them to the soup
pot along with all the seasonings and continue to simmer until peas are very
soft and mixture is thick - about 45 minutes. Remove ham bone. Gradually
stir in the milk and cream. Add ham and chicken. Simmer, stirring
occasionally, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Potage St. Germain soup should be served with a dollop of sour cream
and a splash of sherry. The sherry was served on the side in a tiny
glass pitcher, while the sour cream was placed in the bowl and dusted
with chopped parsley.