Dorie Greenspan's Herb and Scallion Dutch Baby
For the pancake
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
¾ cup whole milk
3 large eggs
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup flour
¼ cup minced mixed herbs, such as chives, basil, thyme and/or oregano
4 to 6 scallions (trimmed), white part and 1 to 2 inches of green, halved lengthwise
For the toppings (optional)
Plain yogurt
Ricotta cheese
Sour cream
Lightly dressed green salad
Tomato salsa
Hot sauce
Mixed fresh herbs
Sprinkling of grated cheese
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the butter in a 9- or 10-inch ovenproof skillet.
Slide the skillet into the oven; bake (middle rack) until the butter is melted and bubbling. Keep on eye on this: You don't want to brown the butter. Start the batter as soon as the pan goes into the oven.
Combine the milk, eggs, salt and pepper in the blender; puree until well incorporated. Add the flour and mix, diligently scraping the sides and bottom of the container, until it is evenly incorporated. Add the herbs, and pulse only until incorporated.
Remove the skillet from the oven. Rap the blender jar or bowl against the counter to get rid of some of the batter's bubbles, then pour the batter into the hot skillet. Scatter the halved scallions over the top, and quickly return the pan to the oven.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the pancake is golden brown and puffed above the skillet's rim. The middle of the pancake will be puffed, and a skewer inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a bit of custard clinging to it.
Cut and serve right away, either plain or with any of the optional toppings. The pancake collapses quickly, but even then, it's beautiful. To serve this as an hors d'oeuvre, you can cut it into bite-size pieces and serve it straight from the pan, with toothpicks.
Makes 4 entree servings or 8 starter servings
Nutrition | Per serving (based on 4): 270 calories, 9 g protein, 21 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 9 g saturated fat, 175 mg cholesterol, 480 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugar
From cookbook author Dorie Greenspan