Pancakes with filling of Asparagus

   

 
Batter:  
In a bowl mix about 3 cups flour with 4 eggs. Mix milk and water at 2:1 ratio and add enough to make a smooth liquid batter. You can add a bit (1/4 cp) of beer to the batter as well if you got any around. Add salt and a pinch of cayenne or chili pepper.
 
 
Optionally stir in a few handful of washed and chopped young spinach leaves. This adds a touch of colour if you are using white asparagus.  
   
Leave to stand for 10 minutes, start on filling meanwhile.  
   
Prepare pancakes by heating a bit of vegetable oil in frying pan, adding sufficient amount of batter to cover pan bottom (spread batter by tilting pan in all directions.) Cook on both sides, remove and keep warm.    

 
Filling:    
Peel about 750 gr. of asparagus, (if you use green one, no peeling is needed), discard hard ends, cut in pieces of about 1 ½ inch. Boil in water for maybe 15 minutes (green ones 10 minutes); don’t add salt, but 1/2 tsp sugar. You can add the asparagus heads a few minutes later than the stems, as they are more tender.     
Saute 2/3 cup of fresh chopped parsley and green parts of spring onion with 2 chopped green chilies (opt.) on low heat in 1 tbs vegetable oil (optionally use butter, tasty but not so healthy), for about a minute. Sprinkle with freshly ground black or white pepper.  
   
Add about 1/2 to 1 tbs of flour, (depends on desired amount of sauce), mix well.  
   
Add enough cooking liquid from asparagus to make up about 2/3 of desired amount of sauce. Stir or whisk until sauce is smooth and free of lumps. Add fresh cream to make up full amount. Stir in salt to taste and a pinch of saffron (optional). Cook on low fire (2-3 minutes) to let sauce thicken. If sauce appears too thin, mix some more flour with a small amount of oil or butter and add to pan.  
Add drained asparagus. Leave on small fire for another 2-3 minutes, remove from stove.  
   
Spoon filling on each pancake and roll up. Serve with a mixed salad. Tomatoes give a nice contrast.  
   
Makes 2 – 4 servings, depending on appetite.