Caramelized Pancake, Rosehip Gastrique, Blue Cheese & Yarrow

Caramelized Pancake, Rosehip Gastrique, Blue Cheese & Yarrow

By Paul Rogalski, Rouge, Calgary

“This dish is a blast of flavor and texture. It is founded on a classic Austrian dessert called Kaiserschmarrn, which is a scrambled pancake tossed in sugar, typically served with fruit compotes. The sweet, sour and savory flavor profiles make it perfect to eat on its own or after dinner. The rosehip gastrique delivers both acid and sweetness to the dish and the melted blue cheese adds a salty, earthy, creaminess. Yarrow adds a wonderful hint of licorice and some much-needed color. You will need a good cast iron skillet to cook this dish over an open fire.”

Paul Rogalski_Scambled Pancake.jpg

INGREDIENTS

Rosehip Gastrique (make in advance):

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 cup cider vinegar

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 cup rosehips, cleaned and washed

Pancake Batter

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup milk

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1/4 cup butter

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1/2 cup your favorite Canadian blue cheese

  • 1/2 cup yarrow leaves, cleaned and washed

RECIPE

For the Gastrique:

In medium sized pot combine water, vinegar, sugar and rosehips. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced to half of the original volume. Carefully pour hot liquid through a strainer into a heat proof container and press rosehip pulp through the mesh leaving the seeds behind. The rosehip pulp will stick to the underside of the strainer. Scrape pulp into the syrup and stir in. Set aside to cool.

For the batter:

In a large bowl, mix eggs and flour together with a whisk until smooth. This takes a bit of arm strength. Gradually whisk in milk. Let stand for 20 minutes. To avoid any lumps, strain batter into a hot buttered cast iron skillet and cook over medium heat until bubbles appear, and the bottom is slightly brown. Flip and continue cooking until second side is brown.

Remove from pan and cut or tear into bite sized pieces. Return the skillet to the heat and add the butter and sugar. Stir until the sugar and butter melt together, come to a boil and caramelize. Remove from heat immediately and carefully stir the pancake pieces in the caramel mixture. Mix in crumbled blue cheese and plate immediately, allowing the residual heat to melt the cheese.

Drizzle with rosehip syrup, garnish with yarrow and serve.