Summer Vegetable Crepes with Dill Yogurt Sauce

If all has gone according to plan, then at the time this entry is automatically posted, I will be on vacation up North, sitting by the lake with a book in one hand and a beer in the other :) And while I'm enjoying the best of what summer has to offer in the form of nature, you can enjoy summer's best offerings in the form of food!

I've actually never made a savory crepe dish before so I wasn't sure what to expect with this recipe, but it surprised me with the way it really highlights the bright flavours of the summer vegetables and herbs. Fresh vegetables are cooked with some light ricotta to add some creaminess to the filling without overpowering the taste of the vegetables, then they're wrapped in a soft crepe and covered in a refreshing dill yogurt sauce. The great thing about this recipe is that it's completely customizable. If you're not a fan of dill, just substitute your favourite fresh herb (the original recipe called for chives, but I'm sure other herbs would work too), and the vegetable filling can consist of whatever looks good at the market, whatever you have too much of growing in the garden, or whatever needs to be used up from your fridge. I loved the combo of corn, peas, beans and yellow summer squash I used in mine, but feel free to mix it up!

If you've never made crepes before, now is your chance to try! I know they've kinda got a reputation for being difficult, but I promise they're not hard. The first time I ever tried making them was about a month after I first started cooking. And if you've read my story, you'll know that I had pretty much zero cooking skills at the time. But they came out perfectly then, as they have every time since, so I really don't know why poor crepes have such a bad rap. Sure you might get a couple duds that just rip to shreds when you try to flip them, but that just gives you some extra snacking material to keep you energized as you go! Seriously, if I can do it, anyone can!

In case you're still worried, the amount of batter I've called for in the recipe below should make about twice what you will actually need for the serving size, which leaves plenty of room for mistake crepes. And if you're lucky enough to have every crepe turn out perfectly, don't throw the extras out! Keep them in your fridge and use them to make quick wraps for lunch the next day. I used my extras for turkey wraps with lettuce and cheese and I thought they were so much better than a standard tortilla wrap! A crepe is much easier to wrap around the filling without tearing, and since it's so thin, the filling really takes center stage rather than the wrapper (and nobody likes a bready wrap).

I've posted my version of the recipe below. I know it looks like a lot of steps but it comes together pretty quickly, and if you're lucky enough to have someone else to clean up after you (I wish) then you'll save yourself from the worst part!


Summer Vegetable Crepes with Dill Yogurt Sauce

Adapted from Eating Well

Makes 4 crepes (2 servings)

Crepes:

1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 eggs

Mix all ingredients together with a whisk until lumps removed. Start with slightly less flour than called for and continue adding until the proper consistency is reached – it should be thin and pourable, like a drinkable yogurt.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour ¼ cup batter into the pan and quickly swirl around so the batter coats the pan. Cook for a minute or so until bubbles begin forming in the middle of the crepe and the edges start to pull away from the pan. Carefully flip the crepe over and cook for another minute or so, until cooked. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining batter. This amount should make about eight crepes.

Filling:
 
1/2 cup chopped summer squash
1/2 cup chopped green beans
1/2 cup fresh cooked corn kernels
1/2 cup fresh cooked peas
1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped dill
Salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add all the vegetables and cook until brown, stirring frequently (about 5-6 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in the ricotta and dill and season with salt and pepper.

Dill Yogurt Sauce:
 
1/4 cup low-fat plain or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped dill
2-4 tablespoons low-fat milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Consistency should be somewhat thin and pourable. Adjust amounts of yogurt and milk if necessary.

Assembling the crepes:
 
Divide vegetable filling equally among the four crepes, spooning down the middle of each crepe. Gently roll each crepe around the filling. Pour the yogurt-dill sauce over the crepes and serve while crepes are somewhat warm.