Delicate Crepe and Smoked Salmon Gateau

I discovered this lovely fine-dining recipe while paging through my recipe scrapbooks. It's worth the time you spend on it, and is an unusual starter for a dinner. It is best made a day ahead (ahaa!!), covered, and chilled, because it's easier to slice (using a serrated knife) when cold and firmer.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Crepes

• 1  cup cake flour (250ml or 120g)
• 1  pinch salt
• 2  eggs, large
• 1  cup milk
• 1  tablespoon butter, melted

• Filling

• 1  lb cream cheese (500g, which is a little more than 1 lb)
• 2  tablespoons  horseradish sauce (or creamed horseradish)
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 3  cloves garlic, chopped, crushed
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice
•  sea salt and coarse black pepper
• 1  tablespoon capers, chopped fine
• 3  tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
• 1  lb smoked salmon, finely sliced

• Sauce

• 1  egg
• 2  tablespoons  balsamic vinegar
• 1  tablespoon mustard powder (use Dijon mustard if powdered unavailable)
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 1  cup yoghurt, preferably Greek-style creamy yoghurt
• 3  tablespoons dill, chopped (keep extra for garnish)
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. For the crepes:
2. Put the flour and salt in a processor (or do this with a hand-held mixer), break in the eggs, add the milk and melted butter, a pinch salt, and whizz until smooth and without lumps.
3. Pour into a jug or bowl and set aside for 30 minutes.
4. For the filling:
5. Mix and whisk together all the ingredients EXCEPT the salmon. (It's best when ingredients are at room temperature, and the cream cheese might have to be softened first). Keep the filling, covered, in a warm place such as a sunny corner.
6. For the sauce:
7. Whisk together egg, vinegar, mustard. Add olive oil slowly while you whisk. Add the honey, yoghurt, dill and seasoning. (*If you don't like using a raw egg, leave it out).
8. Heat a crepe pan (about 5 " in diameter), add a little oil, and make paper-thin crepes in the French fashion. Continue until batter is used up: you need 5 or 6 crepes. Cool.
9. Put a crepe on a plate and spread thinly with the cheese filling. You need your filling to be spreadable for this. If it is not, warm it very gently before use.
10. Cover with thin strips of smoked salmon, and add another crepe on top.
11. Repeat the process, ending with a crepe. Cover with wrap, and put in the fridge.
12. To serve: spoon the sauce into 4 - 6 starter plates. Cut the gateau carefully with a serrated knife, and put the slices on the sauce.
13. Garnish with small dill sprigs and -- if you have any left -- extra smoked salmon. Serve.