HAM AND WATERCRESS CREPES

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 hr

For crępes
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling
6 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
15 thin slices cooked ham (preferably Black Forest; 10 oz)
1 1/4 cups packed fresh watercress sprigs

Make crępes:
Blend all crępe ingredients except butter in a blender until smooth. Chill batter 30 minutes.

Brush a 10-inch nonstick skillet with some butter, then heat over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Holding skillet off heat, pour in 1/4 cup batter, immediately swirling and tilting to create a thin, even layer. (If batter sets before skillet is coated, reduce heat slightly. Next crępe will be better.) Return skillet to heat and cook until just set and pale golden around edges, 10 to 15 seconds.

Flip crępe carefully and cook until underside is just cooked through and pale golden, about 20 seconds more. Transfer crępe to a large plate. Make 4 more with remaining batter (5 more if first crępe stuck to skillet), buttering skillet each time and stacking crępes on plate as made.

Make cheese filling and assemble crępes:
Stir together cream cheese, butter, shallot, cumin, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.

Put 1 crępe on a work surface and spread with 3 tablespoons cheese filling. Fold 3 ham slices in half crosswise and put over lower half of crępe. Scatter 1/4 cup watercress over ham. Starting at end with ham, tightly roll up crępe, enclosing ham and watercress, to form an 8-inch log. Make 4 more logs in same manner. Cut each log crosswise into 6 pieces.

Cooks' notes:
• Crępes can be made 1 week ahead and frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap. Thaw before assembling.
• Crępes can be assembled (but not cut) 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped individually in plastic wrap.

Makes about 30 hors d'oeuvres.
Gourmet
December 2001