Active Time

　　45 min

　　Total Time

　　1 1/4 hr

　　Crêpe Bundles with Caviar and Sour Cream

　　Innovative and self-taught, Barry Wine redefined American haute cuisine at New York City's Quilted Giraffe in the 1980s. His iconic—and most copied—dish was the bite-size beggars’ purse, a chive-tied crêpe bundle filled with caviar and crème fraîche. We've turned it into a first course and added chives and brown butter to the crêpe batter.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 8 (First course) servings

　　

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

　　

Make crêpe batter:

Step 1

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.

　　

Step 2

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:

Step 3

Blanch chives in a small saucepan of boiling water 10 seconds. Drain and plunge into an ice bath. Pat dry.

　　

Make crêpes:

Step 4

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:

Step 5

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.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Crêpe can be made and chives blanched 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before assembling.