BEGGARS' PURSES

Beggars' Purses image

Provided by Melissa Roberts

Yield Makes 8 (First course) servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

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For crêpes:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped chives
For purses:
16 to 20 long chives (from 1 bunch)
3/4 cup sour cream (preferably at room temperature)
4 ounces domestic caviar such as osetra or rainbow trout

Steps:

Make crêpe batter:
Melt butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and set aside 2 tablespoons for cooking crêpes. Continue to cook butter remaining in skillet until it has a nutty fragrance and is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Blend brown butter with remaining crêpeingredients, except chives, in a blender until smooth. Add chives and pulse 1 or 2 times to just combine. Let batter stand 30 minutes.
Blend brown butter with remaining crêpe ingredients, except chives, in a blender until smooth. Add chives and pulse 1 or 2 times to just combine. Let batter stand 30 minutes.
Blanch whole chives:
Blanch chives in a small saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds. Drain and plunge into an ice bath. Pat dry.
Make crêpes:
Lightly brush skillet with butter, then heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Stir batter. With skillet off heat, add a scant 1/4 cup batter, tilting and rotating skillet to coat bottom. (If batter sets too fast, reduce heat slightly.) Cook until golden around edges, 15 to 30 seconds. Loosen with a heatproof plastic spatula, then flip crêpe over with your fingertips. Cook until underside is set, about 30 seconds. Slide onto a plate. Make more crêpes, brushing skillet with butter and stacking crêpes on plate.
Assemble purses:
Top each crêpe, browned side up, with about 1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream and 2 teaspoon caviar. Gather crêpe around filling and tie 1 or 2 blanched chives in a knot to close purse. Trim ends of chives if necessary.