Smoked Salmon and Dill Crepes
Smoked salmon and cream cheese in a thin crepe is one of the better arguments for making savoury food on Pancake Day. The crepe itself is made with a small amount of dill stirred into the batter, which gives a faint herbal note that complements the salmon without competing with it. The filling is cream cheese loosened with a little lemon juice and black pepper, with thin-sliced smoked salmon and capers. These work as a starter for four or a light lunch for two. They can be assembled up to an hour ahead and kept covered in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 120g (4oz)plain flour
- 200ml (7fl oz)whole milk
- 80ml (3fl oz)cold water
- 2 (2)large eggs
- 25g (1oz)unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp)fresh dill, finely chopped, for batter
- 200g (7oz)full-fat cream cheese
- 1 (1)lemon, zest and juice
- 200g (7oz)smoked salmon, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp)capers, drained
- to taste (to taste)black pepper
Method
- 1
Make the crepe batter: whisk flour, eggs, and half the milk until smooth. Add the remaining milk, water, melted butter, and chopped dill. Whisk to combine.
- 2
Rest the batter for 30 minutes.
- 3
Make the filling: beat cream cheese with lemon zest, lemon juice, and plenty of black pepper until smooth and spreadable.
The cream cheese should be at room temperature for this -- cold cream cheese is harder to spread and tends to tear the crepe. - 4
Cook thin crepes in a buttered pan over medium-high heat -- about 8 crepes from this quantity. Stack on a plate to cool slightly.
- 5
Spread a generous layer of cream cheese over each crepe, leaving a 1cm border.
- 6
Lay smoked salmon slices over the cream cheese. Scatter a few capers. Season with black pepper.
- 7
Roll tightly or fold into quarters. Serve at room temperature with lemon wedges.
These can be assembled up to an hour ahead and kept covered. The flavour improves slightly as the filling settles.
Pro Tips
- →Room temperature cream cheese spreads without tearing the crepe. Take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before assembling.
- →These can be assembled an hour ahead, covered, and kept at room temperature. They are better slightly rested than made to order.
- →Fresh dill in the batter is subtle but worth it. Dried dill does not work well here.
Topping Ideas
Questions & answers
Can smoked salmon crepes be made ahead?⌄
What can I substitute for capers in this recipe?⌄
Should smoked salmon crepes be served hot or cold?⌄
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