This is one of my family's Christmas recipes that we only eat that day but that we all die for! Stack of thin crepes layered with homemade mayonnaise and whatever other ingredients you want. For us, that is ham, lettuce, tomatoes, eggs, and other things.
My Christmas will be spent tomorrow at my father's house. We celebrate the 24th at night, Christmas Eve, or Nochebuena as we call it.
It will include appetizers, a turkey with corn and prune stuffing, quince and mustard sauce, salads, a lemon cheesecake, and apple pudding, the last two made by me. And I will miss this savory crepe cake - not a minor issue - because it's a tradition on my mother's part of the family.
Those recipes are not family ones, except for the turkey, and that is my father's area, that's why I have no Christmas recipe for you.
Though I'm hoping I'll be able to take good pics and post about it in the coming weeks.
For the last few years, we've been gathering at my uncle's house to celebrate the new year.
Sort of a family potluck, with all of my cousins on my mother's side, a few odd guests invited at the last minute, and that part of my family I never remember clearly, the second or third aunt or cousin who come with their own families, and though I try I hardly ever remember their names; they usually remember mine which is embarrassing.
And of course the familiar food at the table. Since this is the recipe my maternal grandmother used to make, it obviously makes an appearance at the buffet table. A very large table.
It ends up being a big affair, with tables and chairs borrowed from the whole house, because, just like that, without anyone realizing it, forty people end up seating together to celebrate the new year.
I hadn't eaten it in years and was surprised to be craving it as much as I did when I was growing up and this was a once-a-year thing my grandmother made, with familiar flavors that tasted better because of the anticipation. Last year, my cousins made it exactly like the original recipe, with canned devil ham, store-bought mayonnaise, and an awful decoration of red peppers from a jar.
Today my version is jazzed up a bit using homemade mayonnaise, smoked pork tenderloin instead of the canned ham, and adding hearts of palm.
This savory cake is very simple.
Just a few things to take into consideration: since you're spreading mayonnaise on every crepe don't put too much on each, remember to salt every layer, don't overstuff the center of each crepe, and don't press the layers down, that way it will be taller and you will be able to distinguish the different fillings when you cut it.
The final decoration on top is up to you. I don't decorate really, it's not my thing, especially savory things, so I just added some mayo, grated egg, chopped olives, and some chives on top.
This cake can be filled with many other ingredients, depending on your taste, from tuna to roasted red peppers, smoked salmon, etc.
I'll make it again in a week and take it over to my uncle's house. I hope they find my revised version as good as the old one. I'll be crossing my fingers, just in case.
And as the night closes in, the new year is toasted to, the traditional lucky 12 grapes or raisins are eaten, white is worn with pink underwear, which is something hard to pull off, who knows where that idea started, and all traditions are taken care of, I'll be looking forward to the next time.
I find myself eating the pancake tower, as it's called in my family, chatting away with my cousins as someone is inevitably cornered and told some story again and again by a drunken guest; while we swear next year we'll do something with our friends because it should be more fun than family again.
Just to find ourselves, a few minutes later, vowing to each other to attend the party again next year, all of us, so as not to leave the others prey of the drunken or boring guests.
I always have fun with my cousins, even though I'm the oldest, and I love celebrating New Year.
It's a new year after all. It's important. If the old one was good we have a lot to celebrate; if it was not so good you want to toast to
a better one.
Happy Holidays to everyone, hold your loved ones tight, and enjoy the moment!
PrintSavory Crêpe Cake
It's very important to keep homemade mayonnaise refrigerated at all times. Use store-bought if you don't want to eat raw eggs.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 recipe Crepes (find recipe here or use store-bought)
- 7 oz (200g) sliced smoked pork loin or ham
- Lettuce (2 leaves)
- 1 medium tomato
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, cold or at room temperature
- 1 cup chopped hearts of palm
- ½ cup chopped green olives
- 2 Tbs chopped chives, for garnish
For the homemade mayo:
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup canola oil
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Juice of half a lemon
- Dash of tabasco
Instructions
For the homemade mayo:
- Put both oils in a jar and reserve.
- Put eggs, mustard and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for a minute, until foamy.
- Very slowly at first, drop by drop, start adding oils through the feed tube. The first half cup should be added by drops, so it emulsifies well. Have patience.
- After the first cup you can add the rest in a thin stream. The mayonnaise will be thick.
- Add lemon juice and tabasco and pulse to combine. Check seasonings and refrigerate.
- It will keep 3 to 5 days.
- Have ready: room temperature crepes, smoked pork, rinsed and dried lettuce, thinly sliced tomato, eggs and a large hole grater, hearts of palm, olives and mayonnaise.
I put it together like this:
- In the plate you plan to serve the cake place one crepe and spread a thin layer of mayonnaise
- Arrange smoked pork or ham on top
- Another crepe spread with some mayonnaise
- Arrange lettuce on top
- Another crepe spread with mayonnaise
- Arrange sliced tomatoes, covering the surface
- Another layer of crepe spread with mayonnaise
- Arrange chopped hearts of palm covering the surface
- Another crepe spread with mayonnaise
- Add chopped olives.
- Another crepe spread with mayonnaise
- Grate 1 ½ hard boiled eggs directly over crepe (reserve ½ for top of the cake)
- Last crepe on top. Spread some mayonnaise and grate reserved egg on top, sprinkle with chopped olives and chives.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
You can fill this with whatever savory combination you like.
Buying the crepes and the mayo makes this a snap to put together.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Layering
- Cuisine: International
Homemade mayonnaise: barely adapted from Martha Stewart
The Ninja Baker says
Your savory crêpe cake is intriguing, Paula. The mayo with the Dijon mustard is a nice touch, too. I admire how beautifully you made your paper-thin pancakes. Bravo! And enjoy your Christmas on the 24th =)
theroxxbox.com says
Oh how creative. I LOVE this!!!
Sarah | Curious Cuisiniere says
This is beautiful! I love crepes sweet and savory, and I will have to keep this presentation in mind next time we make them. Fantastic!
The Wimpy Vegetarian says
What a fantastic idea! I love crepes - I taught a crepes class a couple of years ago and got into them in a big way getting ready for the class. I love, love, love your layers, and the photo - especially the top one - is GORGEOUS!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
Love this! A savory crepe cake = amazingness! I usually have dessert-type crepes but only because I haven't come across this! Can't wait to try this!
Savory Simple says
This is a stunner!
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ says
Cool idea for an easy and quick recipe!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I think your grandmother would smile happily that you have made the savory crepe cake...it looks delicious.
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
I love the pink underwear tradition, made me laugh out loud. We're so simple here, just black eyed peas on New Year's Day. 🙂 I'd love a wedge of your savory crepe cake, it looks delicious.
Very Happy Holidays my friend!
Sarah Reid says
This looks amazing! I'd be tempted to use goat or cream cheese for the mayo (I hate mayo LOL) but man it looks yummy
german in pdx says
I agree with LIz - this looks fantastic! It sounds like you have a fun packed Holidays ahead of you - enjoy! Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas ~ Bea @ galactopdx
Lizzy Do says
Paula, this looks fantastic...one terrific layer after the next. So elegant, too. How fun that you updated a tradition started by your grandmother. Merry, merry Christmas, my friend! xo
Tora Estep says
What a terrific idea! I love it. I love savory crepe dishes, but I've only had individual rolled crepes. What fun to make a stack. This reminds me a little bit of something in Sweden, which translates as a sandwich cake, where you layer various fillings on bread and stack it up as a cake. Anyway, love the idea, and as always, your blog is inspiring and lovely.
Kate | Food Babbles says
This recipe sounds so enticing! I've wanted to make a crepe cake for quite some time now and still have yet to. Immediately all my crepe cake ideas are sweet ones. I'm fascinated by your savory spin. Lovely!!
Amy Kim (@kimchi_mom) says
OMG....this sounds AMAZING!
Your family gathering sounds so fun! And so now I have to ask, "white with pink underwear?" Do you come to the party like that or do you change at some point in the evening? 🙂
Happy holidays!
Kate@Diethood says
I am a huge fan of crepes. It is one of my go to breakfast foods. BUT I have never had them look like this! WOW! I looooove your toppings! I'm more of a 'feta cheese or nutella' topping girl. I need to change that. 😀
Hope you have a very Merry Christmas!!
cquek says
You just blew my mind. I need to make this ASAP!
Jen @JuanitasCocina says
Paula, this is SO beautiful! And I'm positively drooling! Merry Christmas!
Dorothy at ShockinglyDelicious says
Last time I made crepes they were more like thick pancakes, but your recipe here makes me want to try again! This would also make a fantastic lunch!
Silvia says
It´s delicious ! Merry Christmas, Paula.