When winter comes life comes to a pause. Trees are tall and bear, as if taking a huge sigh of breath after carrying their leaves for the entire year. Their silent leafless barks reach up to the skies, breathing in the cold winter as they take a moment to surrender. The snow covers the grass and gives it time to rest and recover. The dry pine cones scattered on the ground whisper that one life cycle has ended and that soon a new one will begin. And I try to comfort myself; warm clothes, hot drinks, warm showers, a cozy fireplace, some nice red wine, and comfort food.
Winter is about slowing down and enjoying intimate moments with your family. It’s about staying in and experimenting with food. Somehow winter always makes me more hungry. Swiss raclette is one of my favorite dishes this season. It’s easy to make and more than satisfying! My kids enjoy the whole process of melting cheese in the raclette dishes under the warm grill, making the meal interactive and fun. As soon as it starts to bubble, they pour it over their potatoes and bread. My son also has his secret concoction with olive oil and herbs, which he loves to put together for everyone to enjoy.
Most of the time I’m left over with more cheese as it is hard to predict the perfect quantity to buy, and I always end up getting a bit extra so that we don’t run short. Last week, I was left with one big chunk. My creativity always stirs up when I need to finish an ingredient and don’t want to waste it. So, I surprised my kids to a mouthwatering breakfast during the weekend. I made Raclette crepes accompanied with bright green asparagus and spinach. The oozing warm rich cheese was just a perfect way to start off a wintry morning…
Raclette Crepes
Prep time: 10 min
Cooking time: 10 min
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 thin crepes (homemade or store bought)
8 thin slices of Raclette Cheese
1 cup baby spinach
½ bunch (around 8 sticks) asparagus
Salt and pepper to season
Procedure:
Blanch and shock the asparagus so that they retain their green color. Cut them into ½” pieces and set aside.
On a pancake griddle or a fat bottomed frying pan, place one crepe bottom side up and heat on a medium flame.
Place 2 full slices of cheese on the crepe and let it start to melt. On one half of the crepe, sprinkle few pieces of the diced asparagus over the cheese.
Once the cheese has nearly melted, top the asparagus with a few spinach leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Fold the crepe in half or a quarter and serve.
Notes: You can use many toppings like sauteed mushrooms, broccoli, peppers etc instead or in addition to the asparagus. It’s a great item for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.