Veggie Lover's Crepe with Avocado

Photo: California Avocado Commission

From: Conan Kobayashi and Ellen Peas, CKrepes and CKatering, Denver. Yield: 4 servings.

12 oz. crêpe batter
2 oz. clarified butter for cooking crepes
2 oz. asiago cheese, shredded
8 asparagus spears, blanched
12 sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
2 marinated portobello mushrooms (recipe follows)
4 oz. pesto (recipe follows)
2 large fresh avocados (8 oz. each), peeled, seeded, and sliced
4 oz. pickled red onion (recipe follows)
1 oz. fresh spinach
to taste, pepper

Marinated Portobello Mushrooms (yields 2):
2  portobello mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil

Pickled Red Onion (yields 1 cup):
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
¾ cup rice wine vinegar
1¾ oz. sugar
2 tsp. salt

Pesto (yields 2/3 cup):
1 oz. fresh basil leaves
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 oz. parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp. kosher salt
to taste, salt and pepper

For marinated portobellos: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pickled red onion: Blanch the onion slices for 15 seconds. Put onion slices into a bowl.
 
Bring vinegar, sugar, and salt to boil.   Pour over onion slices. Let cool, and refrigerate overnight.

For pesto: Blend all ingredients with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Heat an 11" nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add one tablespoon of clarified butter to the pan and swirl to coat it.  

For each crêpe, ladle 3 oz. of batter into the pan, swirling or spreading to evenly coat the entire bottom surface. Once the crepe starts to brown on the edges and pulls away slightly from the pan (1-2 minutes), flip it over.  

Sprinkle on 2 tablespoons of the cheese, and arrange 2 asparagus spears, ¼ of the sun-dried tomato slices and ¼ of the marinated Portobello mushrooms down the center of the crepe. Add 2-1/2 Tbsp. of pesto and a little freshly ground pepper. Let cook for 1-2 minutes.

Once the crepe is golden on the underside and the cheese is beginning to crisp, gently loosen the crepe from the pan and slide it off the skillet onto a work surface.  

Add ¼ of the avocado slices, 1 oz. of the pickled red onions and about a ¼ oz. of spinach on top of the other ingredients.  Gently roll the crepe up and transfer to a plate. To-go serving option: Wrap the bottom of the crêpe in an aluminum foil square, leaving the top exposed and ready to eat.

Repeat with remaining crepe batter and ingredients. Serve.