One of my four or five decent recipes, my famous Spinach Crepe recipe.
Can I freeze them filled or do I have to freeze the crepes separately
and assemble when I want to serve them?

I need to know by tomorrow afternoon. Email address is munged. If
mailing, send to barb dot schaller at birthlink -- er, I mean earthlink
dot net. Ta.

{ Exported from MasterCook Mac }

Gateau de Crepes aux Epinards

Recipe By: posted again to r.f.cooking by Barb Schaller 11-11-03
Serving Size: 8
Preparation Time: 1:00
Categories: Entrees

Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method
Crepes:
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons clarified butter
Filling:
2 pkg. frozen chopped spinach (10 oz. each)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
3 tablespoons half and half
1 teaspoon sugar
dash nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
To Finish:
1 cup Mornay sauce
1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese

Prepare crepes: Beat eggs and egg yolks with milk, using a whisk or
fork. Add flour and salt, beat until smooth. Batter should be the
consistency of heavy cream. Add butter; let stand 30 minutes. Using
about 1/4 cup batter, bake crepes (thin pancakes) in a hot heavy skillet
or a crepe pan, turning once. Set aside or freeze for future use.
Makes about 15 six-inch crepes. To prepare filling: cook the spinach
according to package directions and drain thoroughly. Melt butter, add
flour and stir. Add half and half, cook and stir until smooth
(essentially, a thick white sauce). Stir in well-drained spinach,
sugar, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stack the crepes in a buttered pie
plate, spreading about 1/3 cup of spinach mixture between each (will use
about 5-7 crepes). Cover with Mornay sauce (a glorified white
sauce--add some grated cheese to 1 cup medium white sauce) and sprinkle
with grated Swiss cheese. Bake at 400° for about 10-15 minutes. Makes
6-8 servings.

‹‹‹‹‹
Notes: Recipe from a neighbor in the late Œ70s.


Per serving (excluding unknown items): 291 Calories; 18g Fat (55%
calories from fat); 12g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 154mg Cholesterol;
382mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread; 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 3 Fat
_____
--
-Barb (www.jamlady.eboard.com updated 10-16-03; check the PickleHats tab, too.)

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> One of my four or five decent recipes, my famous Spinach Crepe recipe. =
=20
> Can I freeze them filled or do I have to freeze the crepes separately=20
> and assemble when I want to serve them?
>=20
> I need to know by tomorrow afternoon. Email address is munged. If=20
> mailing, send to barb dot schaller at birthlink -- er, I mean earthlink=
=20
> dot net. Ta.

Barb, the bound sauce you use for the spinach filling will break. A=20
roux-based sauce can't be frozen and thawed without separating fully.
If you use a modified starch with good freeze-thaw characteristics,=20
you can do it, but that changes the whole texture and flavor of the dish.=


You'll do better assembling them at the last minute.

Pastorio



> { Exported from MasterCook Mac }
>=20
> Gateau de Crepes aux Epinards
>=20
> Recipe By: posted again to r.f.cooking by Barb Schaller 11-11-03
> Serving Size: 8
> Preparation Time: 1:00
> Categories: Entrees =20
>=20
> Amount Measure Ingredient Preparation Method
> Crepes: =20
> 2 eggs =20
> 2 egg yolks =20
> 1 1/4 cups milk =20
> 1 cup flour=20
> 1/2 teaspoon salt =20
> 2 tablespoons clarified butter =20
> Filling:=20
> 2 pkg. frozen chopped spinach (10 oz. each)
> 1 tablespoon butter =20
> 1 tablespoon flour=20
> 3 tablespoons half and half =20
> 1 teaspoon sugar=20
> dash nutmeg =20
> Salt and pepper to taste =20
> To Finish: =20
> 1 cup Mornay sauce =20
> 1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese =20
>=20
> Prepare crepes: Beat eggs and egg yolks with milk, using a whisk or=20
> fork. Add flour and salt, beat until smooth. Batter should be the=20
> consistency of heavy cream. Add butter; let stand 30 minutes. Using=20
> about 1/4 cup batter, bake crepes (thin pancakes) in a hot heavy skille=
t=20
> or a crepe pan, turning once. Set aside or freeze for future use. =20
> Makes about 15 six-inch crepes. To prepare filling: cook the spinach =

> according to package directions and drain thoroughly. Melt butter, add=
=20
> flour and stir. Add half and half, cook and stir until smooth=20
> (essentially, a thick white sauce). Stir in well-drained spinach,=20
> sugar, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stack the crepes in a buttered pie=20
> plate, spreading about 1/3 cup of spinach mixture between each (will us=
e=20
> about 5-7 crepes). Cover with Mornay sauce (a glorified white=20
> sauce--add some grated cheese to 1 cup medium white sauce) and sprinkle=
=20
> with grated Swiss cheese. Bake at 400=B0 for about 10-15 minutes. Mak=
es=20
> 6-8 servings.
>=20
> =8B=8B=8B=8B=8B=20
> Notes: Recipe from a neighbor in the late =8C70s.
> =20
>=20
> Per serving (excluding unknown items): 291 Calories; 18g Fat (55%=20
> calories from fat); 12g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 154mg Cholesterol;=20
> 382mg Sodium
> Food Exchanges: 1 Starch/Bread; 1 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 3 Fat
> _____

On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 00:29:18 -0500, Bob Pastorio > wrote:

>Barb, the bound sauce you use for the spinach filling will break. A
>roux-based sauce can't be frozen and thawed without separating fully.
>If you use a modified starch with good freeze-thaw characteristics,
>you can do it, but that changes the whole texture and flavor of the dish.
>
>You'll do better assembling them at the last minute.

Not to mention the mushy mess it would make of the crepes during thawing.

--
Siobhan Perricone
"Who would have thought that a bad Austrian artist who's obsessed with the human physical ideal could assemble such a rabid political following?"
- www.theonion.com

In article >, Siobhan
Perricone > wrote:

> On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 00:29:18 -0500, Bob Pastorio >
> wrote:
>
> >Barb, the bound sauce you use for the spinach filling will break. A
> >roux-based sauce can't be frozen and thawed without separating fully.
> >If you use a modified starch with good freeze-thaw characteristics,
> >you can do it, but that changes the whole texture and flavor of the
> >dish.
> >
> >You'll do better assembling them at the last minute.
>
> Not to mention the mushy mess it would make of the crepes during thawing.

Got it. I'm taking the dish to a potluck tonight. Thanks for your
reply, Siobhan.
--
-Barb (www.jamlady.eboard.com updated 10-16-03; check the PickleHats tab, too.)

>On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 00:29:18 -0500, Bob Pastorio > wrote:
>
>>Barb, the bound sauce you use for the spinach filling will break. A
>>roux-based sauce can't be frozen and thawed without separating fully.
>>If you use a modified starch with good freeze-thaw characteristics,
>>you can do it, but that changes the whole texture and flavor of the dish.
>>
>>You'll do better assembling them at the last minute.

I'm learning to trust Bob's expertise, but I've frozen filled crepes
(chicken? asparagus?) with plain ol' white sauce (with cheese!) that I
recall as at least as decent reheated as they were originally.

For "what can I freeze" questions, I usually look to what's available
commercially. As Bob says, commercial prep may include substances we
don't use, but when I see frozen lasagna or chiken Kiev, or filled
crepes, I figure it's possible. Since I *don't* see frozen (raw)
apples, I figure it's probably not a good idea *whatever* prep is
employed.

If possible, could you freeze a couple of the filled/sauced versions
and see what happens? I don't want to be confrontational, but maybe
Bob is too picky. :-) OTOH, I've learned to freeze portions of beef
Stroganoff *before* adding sour cream. A single experience with a
thawed watery mess was enough. Guess the commercial ones use
"stabilizers" of some sort.

In article >, Frogleg
> wrote:

> >On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 00:29:18 -0500, Bob Pastorio >
> >wrote:
> >
> >>Barb, the bound sauce you use for the spinach filling will break. A
> >>roux-based sauce can't be frozen and thawed without separating fully.
> >>If you use a modified starch with good freeze-thaw characteristics,
> >>you can do it, but that changes the whole texture and flavor of the
> >>dish.
> >>
> >>You'll do better assembling them at the last minute.
>
> I'm learning to trust Bob's expertise, but I've frozen filled crepes
> (chicken? asparagus?) with plain ol' white sauce (with cheese!) that I
> recall as at least as decent reheated as they were originally.
>
> For "what can I freeze" questions, I usually look to what's available
> commercially. As Bob says, commercial prep may include substances we
> don't use, but when I see frozen lasagna or chiken Kiev, or filled
> crepes, I figure it's possible. Since I *don't* see frozen (raw)
> apples, I figure it's probably not a good idea *whatever* prep is
> employed.
>
> If possible, could you freeze a couple of the filled/sauced versions
> and see what happens?

No. I told Bob privately that I'll assemble and bake all of it (two
plates) and reheat. Won't last long anyway. :-)

I don't want to be confrontational, but maybe
> Bob is too picky. :-)

Could be. :-) That's why he's good at what he does. (I've tasted some
of it.)
--
-Barb (www.jamlady.eboard.com updated 10-16-03; check the PickleHats tab, too.)

Frogleg wrote:

>>On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 00:29:18 -0500, Bob Pastorio > wr=
ote:
>>
>>
>>>Barb, the bound sauce you use for the spinach filling will break. A=20
>>>roux-based sauce can't be frozen and thawed without separating fully.
>>>If you use a modified starch with good freeze-thaw characteristics,=20
>>>you can do it, but that changes the whole texture and flavor of the di=
sh.
>>>
>>>You'll do better assembling them at the last minute.
>=20
> I'm learning to trust Bob's expertise, but I've frozen filled crepes
> (chicken? asparagus?) with plain ol' white sauce (with cheese!) that I
> recall as at least as decent reheated as they were originally.=20

The cheese (depends on what kind) can act as a binder to keep the=20
sauce ingredients bound together or at least minimize "weeping" or=20
"purging" (tech terms).

> For "what can I freeze" questions, I usually look to what's available
> commercially. As Bob says, commercial prep may include substances we
> don't use, but when I see frozen lasagna or chicken Kiev, or filled
> crepes, I figure it's possible.

It's surely possible, but it does demand some modification of classic=20
recipes. Commercial products with thickened sauces use stabilizers=20
like modified food starches that will retain the starch matrix through=20
freezing and thawing. You can find "Therm-Flo" brand starch in most=20
places that have a good selection of baking and canning supplies. It=20
handles like normal corn starch but has good freeze-thaw stability.

Roux aren't only butter and flour. Escoffier suggested that clarified=20
butter and corn starch was a better roux because it required no=20
skimming and was shinier in the finish. Therm-Flo can be used as the=20
starch in a roux and the dish that includes it can be frozen. There=20
may be minimal weeping, but nothing like a conventional roux would show.

> Since I *don't* see frozen (raw)
> apples, I figure it's probably not a good idea *whatever* prep is
> employed.=20

Actually, commercial foodservice supply houses carry frozen raw apples=20
in 5-gallon buckets. They're usually just peeled and sliced, and=20
dumped in with a pile of sugar on top as a rough pie filling. We used=20
them in banquets (without the sugar) when we had pork and apples or=20
some poultry dish that used apples, for hundreds of people. Also did a=20
kind of faux apple cobbler in hotel pans for big buffets (apples,=20
sugar, spices and a bit of starch in the pan with some sort of crust=20
topping. Cooked the apples (saut=E9ed if only for a few, baked covered=20
if for lots), added some pork demi to them and used that as a bed for=20
sliced pork tenderloin. Also used them for those times when we needed=20
50 or more apple pies and didn't have staff, time or room to peel and=20
cut all those apples. Figure 8 or 9 apples per pie, even more for our=20
16-inch apple tarts that we featured on holiday buffets where we'd=20
feed 1500 people in 6 hours.

> If possible, could you freeze a couple of the filled/sauced versions
> and see what happens? I don't want to be confrontational, but maybe
> Bob is too picky. :-)=20

I bet you'd be able to find a few people around where I live that=20
would say that I am exactly that. I think of it as being careful. They=20
say things like bullheaded. I'm sure there's a middle ground.

> OTOH, I've learned to freeze portions of beef
> Stroganoff *before* adding sour cream. A single experience with a
> thawed watery mess was enough. Guess the commercial ones use
> "stabilizers" of some sort.=20

Some use gums in varying combinations either alone or in combination=20
with one of the myriad starches that exist. Having dipped a toe into=20
that pool, I can tell you that it's a very complicated world they=20
inhabit with a lot of very critical measurements and formulations=20
involved in turning out commercial products that behave appetizingly.

I designed some salad dressings for a commercial herb growing company=20
and ended up using two different gums for thickening and stabilizing=20
them so the oil and water components stayed emulsified. The president=20
of the company said, "No synthetic or highly processed ingredients."=20
The gums are perfectly good food. Insoluble fiber that contributes=20
physical characteristics but have no nutritive content. Gum Arabic was=20
one of the gums I used. The other is only available to commercial users.

You can find xanthan and guar gums in health food stores. Gum Arabic=20
is sometimes available there, too. Most bulk food stores carry one or=20
more of them as well as the various starches. The gums are good for=20
low-carb regimens since they do some of the things that starches can=20
do with no carb additions to the dishes.

Pastorio

On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 14:18:32 -0500, Bob Pastorio >
wrote:

>Frogleg wrote:
>
>> I'm learning to trust Bob's expertise, but I've frozen filled crepes
>> (chicken? asparagus?) with plain ol' white sauce (with cheese!) that I
>> recall as at least as decent reheated as they were originally.
>
>The cheese (depends on what kind) can act as a binder to keep the
>sauce ingredients bound together or at least minimize "weeping" or
>"purging" (tech terms).
>
>> For "what can I freeze" questions, I usually look to what's available
>> commercially. As Bob says, commercial prep may include substances we
>> don't use, but when I see frozen lasagna or chicken Kiev, or filled
>> crepes, I figure it's possible.
>
>It's surely possible, but it does demand some modification of classic
>recipes. Commercial products with thickened sauces use stabilizers
>like modified food starches...
>
> > Since I *don't* see frozen (raw)
>> apples, I figure it's probably not a good idea *whatever* prep is
>> employed.
>
>Actually, commercial foodservice supply houses carry frozen raw apples
>in 5-gallon buckets.

<large snip>

Well, I figured there'd be *some* exceptions. I'm not thinking of
industrial/restaurant applications, but home kitchens. Most people
ask, in apple season, if they can freeze apples. What they mean, as I
interpret it, is can they cut up some apples, bag/containerize them
with minimal prep, and have 'fresh' apple peices 6 months later? Or
'fresh' basil, tomatoes, lettuce, squash, peaches, steak tartare, etc.
That is, is there a magic way to preserve one season's bounty into a
perpetual supply of 'fresh'? Not often.

With regard to Barb's original query, as I said, my own guidelines are
whether I see similar commercial products in the freezer case. I can
believe that "spinach souffle" is industrialized to a fare-thee-well,
and that filling an aluminum tin with eggs and spinach isn't going to
re-heat to anything resembling either a fresh-made souffle or even the
Stouffer's version. I *do* recall homemade, filled crepes that held up
pretty well. Of course, they weren't stored long. Would this have an
effect? [I find I use up the really Good Stuff pretty quickly, while
the kale casserole can linger 'til the next power outage.}

The last power outage claimed my stock of frozen, unfilled, like
gold-in-the-freezer crepes, so I'm going to have to deal with all the
figs before embarking on a comparative experiment. :-)