Moo Shu Pancakes #BreadBakers

Moo shu pancakes, aka Chinese pancakes or Peking doilies, are traditionally served rolled up with a filling of crispy Peking duck, cucumbers and spring onions. They are easy to make, with only two ingredients.

This month my Bread Bakers are celebrating pancakes of all sorts at the instigation of our host, Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm. Today is Mardi Gras – or Fat Tuesday – also known in many places around the world as Pancake Day.

In the United Kingdom, this refers to what we Americans know as crepes, a thin pancake made with batter. And, of course, most of my readers will be familiar with fluffy American pancakes, served with butter and maple syrup. But Wendy encouraged us to scour the world for pancake recipes so I chose to make moo shu pancakes, a favorite in Chinese cuisine.

When we lived in Kuala Lumpur many years ago, I used to make these to wrap store-bought roasted duck or char sui pork. They are so much better than the pancakes you can buy in the store. But if you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed a couple of hanging ducks in my feed in the last few months. We finally made Peking ducks ourselves, first as a trial run and then as the main course of our Christmas dinner. I even made my own chili plum sauce. It is so much better than the sickly sweet stuff you can buy in a store.

I’ll put a few photos in the instructions to help you with the method of making moo shu pancakes, but I highly encourage you to check out Ken Hom’s how-to video on YouTube as well. He is a master.

And if you are already a Ken Hom fan, you might want to try my version of his spicy Sichuan noodles. For even more pancakes, including my crunchy spring onion version, check out this post and make sure to scroll down to see what my Bread Bakers are sharing today.

Moo Shu Pancakes

Easy to make and even easier to eat, moo shu pancakes are great with all sorts of fillings.

Ingredients for 16-18 pancakes
2 cups or 250g  all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling 
3/4 - 1 cup or 180-240ml very hot water     
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil   

Method
Measure your flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in 3/4 cup or 180ml of the hot water and stir the flour into the water until it is completely incorporated. If it is too dry, add a little more water.

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 8 minutes, sprinkling with a little more flour as necessary. When you have a nice stretchy ball, put it back in the bowl and cover the bowl with a clean, damp cloth. Leave the dough to rest for about half an hour, or pop it in the refrigerator till you are ready to cook the pancakes.

After the resting time, roll the dough out into a long tube, about 1 inch or 2.5cm in diameter. Cut it with a sharp knife into about 16-18 equal pieces. You need an even number. Roll the pieces into balls and set aside.

Sprinkle your working surface with a little flour and put your sesame oil in a small bowl. Press one ball down to flatten it slightly. Dip another ball into the sesame oil and place it on top of the first ball.  Press down again to flatten the top ball.

Use a floured rolling pin to roll the two balls into circles about 6 in or 15cm wide. Repeat the process until you have rolled all of the twin sets of balls into circles.

Heat a dry griddle pan or non-stick skillet over a medium heat and cook the moo shu pancakes one or two at a time, depending on the size of your pan. This takes just a few minutes on each side and a few brown spots are desirable.

As each pancake is done, remove it from the pan and allow to rest briefly, until it’s cool enough to handle. Carefully peel the two pancakes apart and put them in a warm place, covered with a slightly damp cloth. This will keep them from drying out as you cook the rest.

These can be served with Peking duck, char sui pork, pan-fried duck breasts or frankly, anywhere you’d also use a flour tortilla. I even ate a couple with golden syrup. Any leftovers, should you be so lucky, can be wrapped tightly in cling film and frozen.

Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for hosting this month. Make sure you check out all the other lovely pancakes my Bread Bakers are sharing today!

• Aebleskivers by All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Apam Balik by I Camp in My Kitchen
• Blueberry Lemon Dutch Baby Pancake by Spill the Spices
• Brazilian Tapioca Pancakes by Herbivore Cucina
• Chocolate Buckwheat Pancakes by Ambrosia
• Eggless Chocolate Chip Pancake by Seduce Your Tastebuds
• German Pancake with Easy Fruit Compote by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Gluten Free Aebleskiver by Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Hoppers by Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Hotteok by Sara's Tasty Buds
• Instant Multigrain Dosa by Sizzling Tastebuds
• Japanese Pancakes by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Kuih Dadar - Bujang Dalam Selimut - Asian Stuffed Pandan Pancakes by The Schizo Chef
• Moo Shu Pancakes by Food Lust People Love
• Soft and Spongy Poha Dosas by Sneha's Recipe
• Swedish Pancakes by Hostess At Heart
• Syrniki by The Mad Scientist's Kitchen
• Vegan Red Velvet Pancakes by Cook’s Hideout

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

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Greens and Pea Manicotti

Use your favorite greens to make Greens and Pea Manicotti, a lovely savory vegetarian main course of crepes filled with peas, goat cheese, ricotta and, of course, greens, covered in a fragrant tomato sauce.

When my elder daughter came home from university the first summer after her freshman year, she surprised me with the news that she had become a vegetarian. But I guess I really wasn't that surprised since I knew that her new best friends were mostly vegetarian and that sort of thing rubs off on a person.

When her little sister followed in her footsteps, not just to the same school, but into vegetarianism, no surprise at all there. Frankly, I think it's a great thing - I'm not ready to go there yet, but I fully supported their choice. Neither of them is completely vegetarian these days, but we do eat more meatless meals because I discovered during those years that there are many delightful recipes without it.

Several years ago, while I was researching recipes on the internet, I came across what sounded like a rich, satisfying vegetarian dish and I couldn't wait to give it a try. I had to make a few changes because of what I had available but it was very tasty and I've made it again since.

It would be perfect for a Meatless Monday dinner or a Lenten meal for those who fast from meat, whether all month or just on Fridays. If you are looking for more meatless casserole recipes, make sure to scroll down and check out the link list from my Sunday Supper friends.

Greens and Pea Manicotti

My greens and pea manicotti is adapted from this recipe here. I love her writing. She's funny and she has great recipes so go check her out. Here's my favorite post!

Ingredients
For the filling:
3 oz or 85g goat cheese
4 1/2 oz or 125g fresh ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
5 oz or 140g raw greens of your choice (spinach, kale, silver beets, etc.)
6 oz or 180g frozen peas, thawed
1 large clove garlic
1 whole egg
Zest of one lemon
Black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 oz or 225g freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup or 60ml whipping cream
Sea salt
Black pepper

For assembly:
1 1/2 cups or 240ml tomato sauce – store bought will work if you have a favorite or make this sauce, from my eggplant parmigiana recipe. It freezes very nicely so the extra will come in handy for future meals.
10 6-inch or 12cm crêpes (recipe here)
1 oz or 55g freshly grated Parmesan

Method
Clean your greens thoroughly and remove any thick stems. Rinse them at least three times.

These are silver beet greens but I've also made this with kale.

Yes, I know the package might say pre-washed. It’s lying to you. Just like when I told my mother I had vacuumed but I really just ran the vacuum cleaner around to make the lines on the shag carpet without turning it on. (Fact: The vacuum cleaner is much easier to move when it’s not sucking.)

Steam the greens for several minutes with the lid on.

Remove and cool by immersing in some cool water. Spin them dry in a salad spinner or a dry tea towel. If they still feel too wet, give them a squeeze with your two hands.

Using a fork, break your goat cheese and ricotta up into small crumbles. Chop your clove of garlic.

Add the greens, peas and garlic to your food processor and pulse. If you hear a clank, clank, clank at this point, realize that your peas are still frozen.

Pour the whole mess into a microwaveable bowl and thaw properly this time. Jeez. Okay, try again. You are looking for a rough mixture that still has lumps and bumps.

Now add the lemon zest and Parmesan to your other cheeses.

In a bowl big enough for thorough stirring, add the cheese mixture to the greens and pea mixture. Sprinkle on your salt and pepper. Give it a good stir. Taste it and add more salt, if necessary.

Now add the egg and stir again.

Add the cream and stir again. Your filling is ready and just needs to hang out for a while in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to develop.

Time to get on with the tomato sauce and the crêpes. By the time you have those two done, the filling should be ready to use. Follow these two recipes here and here. Make double the crêpe recipe and you can easily half the tomato sauce. Or make the full batch and freeze some. Go ahead, get on with them. We’ll wait here.

Just twiddling while we wait.

Okay, so, when you are ready to fill your crêpes and bake, preheat oven to 350°F or 180°C. Spray a little Pam in your baking dish or drizzle in a little olive oil and rub it around. Cover the bottom of your pan with about a 1/2 cup or 120ml of your tomato sauce.

Put about a 1/4 cup or 60ml of filling on the top crêpe and spread it along the middle. Fold one side over and then the other side.

Lay it in the pan, ends side down. Continue filling the crêpes until all the filling is gone. Extra crêpes can be wrapped in cling film and frozen.

Top the manicotti with another cup or 240ml of tomato sauce and then a good sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until the sauce and cheese are bubbling. Serve with a side green salad or vegetable of our choice.

Enjoy!

Meatless Meals for Lent

• Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Herb Bread Pudding by Wholistic Woman
• Baked Eggplant Parmesan Casserole by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Baked Mushroom Fettuccine by Delaware Girl Eats
• Cheesy Mushroom Marsala Pasta Casserole by Hot Eats and Cool Reads
• Greens and Pea Manicotti by Food Lust People Love
• Leek and Swiss Chard Gratin by Caroline’s Cooking
• Mushroom Breakfast Casserole by Brunch-n-Bites
• Raisin Bread Cheddar Strata by Pies and Plots
• Ricotta Pasta Frittata by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Roasted Vegetable Lasagna by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Tex Mex Vegetarian Bake Freestyle Recipe by Positively Stacey
• Spaghetti Squash Parmesan Casserole by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Spinach Ravioli Bake by Our Good Life
• Spinach Ricotta Pasta Bake by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Tuna Noodle Casserole from Scratch by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Vegetarian Baked Pasta with Spinach and Gruyère by Cooking Chat
• Vegetarian Enchiladas Recipe with Chickpea Curry by Sunday Supper Movement
• Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie by Simple and Savory
• Veggie & Quinoa Baked Stuffed Peppers by Hardly A Goddess

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Browned Butter Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Muffins #FoodieExtravaganza

Browned butter is the star ingredient in this sweet muffin but the brown sugar, dark chocolate and marshmallows add just the right amount of bitter and sweet.

The first time I ever heard the words browned butter, I was in college.  My younger sister was dating a young man whose mother was born and raised in Germany. I don’t remember whether it was a special occasion or just a random meal, but afterwards my mother raved about the fresh green beans his mother had cooked with browned butter.  They were apparently to die for.

Now, my mother is given to food superlatives so I took that accolade with a little grain of sea salt and forgot all about it. Or would have if she hadn't mentioned it several more times over the decades.

Fast forward more than 30 years and browned butter is all over the place.  In savory dishes and sweet. One of my favorite bloggers, Kayle, The Cooking Actress, has recipe after recipe devoted to this wonderful ingredient. I have been dutifully bookmarking and drooling over them but had yet to take plunge. I discovered, with this muffin, that browned butter is indeed fabulous in baked goods, to die for even, and I am thinking green beans for dinner tonight, à la Mrs. Bosarge.  Why did I wait so long? Are you still waiting? Dive right in!

Fair warning:  Do NOT taste the batter.  It's possible that you will not bother to bake muffins and your family will find you sitting in the kitchen, possessively hugging the mixing bowl and clutching a spoon, preheated oven abandoned.  And then *queue dramatic music*:  You will have to share.

Ingredients
1/2 cup or 115g unsalted butter, browned then cooled – Instructions here.
1/4 cup or 60g granulated sugar
1/2 cup or 100g dark brown sugar
2 cups or 250g all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup or 180ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 1/3 oz or 180g dark chocolate  (or equivalent amount of good quality dark chocolate chips)
1 cup or 50g mini marshmallows

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by greasing lightly or lining with muffin papers.

Brown your butter, if you haven’t done so already.  Kayle has great instructions right here, so I refer you to her site.  Just follow this link:  How to brown butter.  

Chop the dark chocolate into little chunks and set aside a small handful for topping the muffins before baking.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your flour, salt, two sugars and baking powder.

Whisk the cooled browned butter, eggs, vanilla extract and milk in a smaller mixing bowl.  If your milk and eggs are quite cold, the butter will probably try to solidify again.  Just keep whisking and it will break into little bitty pieces and get rather fluffy.  This is not a big deal.

Browned butter is liquid gold.  Except brown.

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ones and stir a couple of times.

Add in the dark chocolate and marshmallows and fold to combine.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups and top with the reserved chocolate bits.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the pan then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

This recipe was muffin-fied from this fabulous cookie recipe from The Cooking Actress. 

Check out all the other lovely chocolate recipes my Foodie Extravaganza group is sharing today! Many thanks to our host, Ellen from Family Around the Table.

Brigadeiros by Caroline’s Cooking

Browned Butter Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Muffins by Food Lust People Love

Chocolate Dream Whoopie Pies by Jolene’s Recipe Journal

Chocolate Nonpareil Drops by Family Around the Table

Chocolate Tart with a Shortbread Crust by Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Bread by Hardly A Goddess

Easy Homemade Chocolate Cupcakes by Our Good Life

German Chocolate Cake Macarons by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

Healthy Chocolate Truffles by Simple and Savory

Homemade Chocolate Praline Easter Eggs by Sneha’s Recipe

Homemade White Chocolate with Strawberries and Rose Petals by Tara’s Multicultural Table

Sachertorte by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Salted Juniper-Dark Chocolate Panna Cotta by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato Chocolate Mole Soup by Faith, Hope, Love and Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice

Foodie Extravaganza celebrates obscure food holidays or shares recipes with the same ingredient or theme every month.

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook group Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you!

If you're a reader looking for delicious recipes, check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board!

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