Buckwheat Crepes with Ham and Asparagus

Crepes or Galettes - the name is interchangeable in my book. Either name defines a thin pancake filled with either savory or sweet goodness. These savory dinner pancakes come with a mind to use up some of the ham slices that fill my freezer after the holidays. That's a good thing; I do love ham. These are easy to make, and don't require the fussiness of making them ahead of time, a 24-hour resting period, or rewarming. I'm happy with how these turned out, and hope you will be happy with yours, too.

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup buckwheat flour

3 heaping Tbs Measure 4 Measure flour or whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup milk alternative, I used unsweetened soy milk, or milk

butter

3-4 fried eggs

1/4 cup grated yellow cheese, I used Daiya dairy free cheese

15-20 stalks asparagus, trimmed

6-8 slices ham

Directions: Mix the flours together with the salt. Add the egg and milk, then beat until frothy. Add more milk if needed to make a thin pancake batter. Heat about one teaspoon of butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup batter, swirling the batter around the bottom of the skillet to cover the skillet bottom.  Allow to cook for about 2 minutes. The crepe is done when the bottom turns brown, and the top is no longer shiny, about 3 or 4 minutes. I like to add the sprinkle the cheese down the middle of the crepe just before it is done cooking, so the cheese has time to melt. Covering the pan for a minute assures melted cheese! Remove the crepe to a plate, cover to keep warm. Continue cooking until all the crepes are cooked. Prepare the remaining ingredients while the crepes are cooking. Heat another teaspoon of butter in a second skillet over medium heat. Add the asparagus, rolling to make sure the spears cook on all sides. Cook until they turn a bright green, about 3 minutes. Remove the asparagus from the skillet and keep warm. Add the ham to the skillet, cooking until heated through. Finally, cook the eggs, 1 per person. I like mine either over easy or over hard, however, poached is the more traditional way with eggs. 

To assemble, lay one cheesy crepe on each dinner plate.  Top with 2 slices of ham, 5 stalks asparagus, and one egg. Fold the edges of the crepe over and serve. 

Serves 3 or 4 

Stealthy Cooking Tip: If you're using a gluten free flour, do make sure it has xanthan gum as one of the ingredients. Xanthan gum works like gluten, so that flour holds together. Measure 4 Measure and several other brands work fabulously. Serve with a side salad or fruit for a complete meal.