CREPES FLORENTINE

Steps:

• 1. Crepes: Put the liquids, eggs and salt into the blender. Add the flour, then the butter. Cover and blend at top speed for 1 minute. If bits of flour adhere to sides of jar, dislodge with a rubber scraper and blend for 2 to 3 seconds more. Cover and regrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• 2. To make crepes: Brush the skillet with oil or spray with cooking spray. Set over medium high heat until the pan is just beginning to smoke. Immediately remove from heat and ladle 1/4 cup crepe mixture into pan. Quickly tilt the pan in all directions to run the batter all over the bottom of the pan in a thin film. Pour any batter that does not adhere to the pan back into the batter. Return pan to heat for 60 to 80 seconds. Lift the crepe edges with a spatula and if the underside is a nice brown, the crepe is ready for turning. Brown lightly for about 1/2 minute on the other side. When browned, slide onto a rack and let cool before stacking. Begin again until batter is gone, stacking cooled crepes as you go.
• 3. Mornay Sauce: Cook the flour and butter slowly together in a saucepan for 2 minutes without coloring. Off heat, beat in the boiling milk and seasongs. Boil, stirring for 1 minute. Reduce heat to simmer and stir in the cream by tablespoons. Sauce should be thick enough to coat the spoon fairly heavily. Remove from heat and stir in all but two tablespoons of the cheese. Film top of sauce with milk to prevent a skin from forming.
• 4. Spinach filling: Cook the shallots in butter for a minute or two in a saucepan. Add spinach and salt, and stir over medium high heat for 2 to 3 minutes to evaporate moisture. Stir in 1/2 to 2/3 cup of the cheese sauce made in step 3. Cover and simmer slowly for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for seasonings and set aside.
• 5. Cheese and Mushroom Filling: Mash the cream cheese in a mixing bowl with the seasonings. Beat in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce made in step 3 and the egg. Saute the mushrooms and shallots in butter and oil for 5 to 6 minutes in a skillet. Stir them into the cheese mixture, and check for seasoning.
• 6. To assemble: I used a springform pan. Butter the bottom of a springform pan and center a crepe in the bottom. Spread it with a layer of cheese and mushroom filling. Press a crepe on top and spread it with a layer of spinach filling. Continue with alternating layers of crepes and fillings, ending with a crepe. Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the top and sides of the mound. Sprinkle with the remaining grated swiss cheese and dot with 3 or 4 pea-sized bits of butter. Set aside.
• 7. Baking: About 25 to 30 minutes before serving time, place in upper third of a preheated 350 degree oven to heat through thoroughly and brown the top lightly. To serve, cut in pie-shaped wedges.