Favorite Recipes: Savory Crepe Casserole with Smoked Cheddar Béchamel Sauce

SAVORY CREPE CASSEROLE WITH SMOKED CHEDDAR BECHAMAL SAUCE

Back in 2012, we volunteered on a number of small, family-owned organic farms as we traveled across the country.  We discovered these special havens via the WWOOF program, and found that being able to stay in our camper while volunteering on the farm was a perfect match for us!  

While working on our first WWOOF farm in southern Maine, we discovered one of the many great reasons to hang out with farmers...they love to cook what they grow and group potlucks were plentiful!  At one of these evening gatherings, this layered dish of deliciousness was presented before us. It was love at first bite!

The idea here is that you'll make all the parts of this recipe separately -- crepes, cheese sauce, and veggie filling, then layer like you would a lasagna.

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Ingredients & Instructions

Basic Crepes:

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

2 TBSP butter, melted

Mix eggs, milk, water, and melted butter in a bowl.  Slowly add flour and whisk until you have a thin pancake batter.  Grease and heat a medium to large skillet.  Using a circling motion, coat the pan with a thin layer of batter.  Flip and cook the other side like a pancake.  Repeat until all batter is used.  Stack crepes in between parchment or wax paper and set aside.

Béchamel Cheese Sauce:

2.5 cups milk, pre-heated

4 TBSP butter or olive oil

4 TBSP all-purpose flour

1 cup smoked cheddar cheese, grated

Salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan.  Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown -- about 2 minutes.  Add the HOT milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens.  Bring it to a boil.  Add the cheese, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2-3 more minutes.  

Veggie Filling:

1 large head broccoli (or 20 Brussel sprouts), chopped

1/2 lb Portobello mushrooms, sliced

1 medium white (or yellow) onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1-2 TBSP olive oil

Combine olive oil, mushrooms, onions, and garlic in a large pan.  Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, then add broccoli and cover pan with a lid.  Cook for a few more minutes until broccoli is al dente.  Note: If you choose Brussel sprouts over broccoli, start with the Brussel sprouts and olive oil and sauté (covered), stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, then add the mushrooms and onions. Set aside, but keep warm.

When all 3 parts of the recipe are made/cooked, start layering them in a Dutch oven -- crepe, cheese sauce, veggies, crepe, cheese sauce, veggies, finishing with cheese sauce.  Then, reheat the entire casserole over the fire, grill, or in the oven until the top layer is bubbling.  If using a campfire, be sure to add hot coals to the top in order to heat from the top down.