Caribbean crepes - beef and mango

Whew!! It's been a while.

I must confess, I have been neglecting the kitchen, my life has changed about 10 times since October, but now I am finally setting into my new routine and cooking on a regular basis is definitely a priority.

To get back on track, I took inspiration from an E-Mail my dad sent to my brothers and I, about a pancake filled with ground beef. It sounded amazing, obviously, so we all set out to try it. Coincidentally enough, I just got a "Wraps and Co." cookbook for Christmas (from my brothers, no less), and there was a recipe in there about beef filled crepes. So in a crazy combination of that recipe and my own impulses, I bring you:

As you know, I have an obsession with combining sweet and salty flavor profiles. That is why the mango was so appealing to me in this recipe! So here it is:

Caribbean crepes
Servings: 7-8 crepes
Cook time: 30 min
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 40 min

For the filling:

1 lb lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 serrano chiles, deseeded and minced
1/4 purple onion, chopped
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 large mango, diced
1/2 tsp all purpose seasoning
1/4 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp chili powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

For the crepes:

2 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil

In a bowl, combine the all purpose seasoning, thyme, chili powder, salt, pepper, parsley and beef. Mix well, until beef is broken down and all ingredients are combined.



Heat the oil in a deep skillet to medium-high heat. Add the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, then add the serrano peppers and mix together for about 1 minute. If the heat is too high, reduce to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the beef and break down with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the juices release and there are no red parts.

When the beef is cooked, add the onion and mango. You don't want to overcook these since you want to retain the crunchiness of the onion and consistency of the mango. So only saute together for 2-3 minutes until all the flavors are combined. Feel free to add more salt to taste.

When the filling is done, remove from heat and proceed to make the crepes.

In a blender, combine all the ingredients. Blend until you achieve a smooth consistency that you can pour easily. Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat. Dab a paper towel in the oil and spread through the pan. Now, pour the crepe batter to about 3 inches in diameter, then spread it by rotating the pan. This much batter makes from 6 to 8 crepes, depending on how thin you make them!

When you finish making all the crepes, fill them by placing 3-4 tbsp of the beef at the end of the crepe and rolling it into a tight cylinder.

This is best served with heart of romaine salad dressed with olive oil, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. DELICIOUS!

By the way, my little brother came up with this version:

Isn't that adorable?

And the Brunometer says:

8.2 / 10