Begger's Purses

Ingredients

• Crepes:
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/8 cups pastry or A.P. flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup clarified butter (1 stick)
• Filling:
• 48 chives
• 1 1/4 beluga caviar, chilled
• 1 cup creme fraiche
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Method

• 1. Combine milk, eggs, pastry flour and salt; whisk and then pour through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl. Just before you cook the crepes, add 1 tablespoon of the clarified butter to the batter and stir it in well.
• 2. Heat a crepe pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Lower the heat to medium. Brush the pan with a little of the melted butter and when it sizzles, pour in 2 tablespoons of batter. Swirl the pan to form a crepe about 4 1/2" in diameter. Cook just until the first side is set (do not brown), about 45 seconds to 1 minute, then turn the crepe and cook on the other side for 5 seconds. The crepes should be as thin as possible, with no holes. Remove the crepe from the pan and repeat the process, brushing the pan with butter as needed. Stack the cooked crepes as they are done, and when you have used up the batter (about 48 crepes), wrap them tightly in plastic wrap to keep them from drying out.
• 3. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Using tongs, dip a bunch of 12 chives in the boiling water and blanch for 10 seconds. Repeat with the remaining chives, placing on paper towels to dry.
• 4. Lay several crepes out on a piece of cooking parchment (no more than 12 at a time). Place 1 teaspoon of caviar in the center of each crepe, and top it with 1/3 teaspoon of creme fraiche. Pull the edges of the crepe up around the filling, making small pleats to create a ruffle at the top. Holding the ruffled top with one hand, carefully tie a single chive around the neck and make a double knot to hold it securely. Snip off any excess length of chive, and repeat with the remaining crepes and filling.
• 5. Brush the purses with the melted butter and serve them at room temp, while the caviar is still cold.

Notes

• SERVINGS: 12
• SOURCE: Silver Palate