Savory Buckwheat Crepe with Tangy Vegan Hollandaise

Vegan Mofo Theme: Healthy Vegan Brunch from A to Z.

This month has flown by and we're already a week away from the end of Vegan Mofo. With time running short, I thought I'd start combining some of the 8 letters remaining in the alphabet to complete my theme. Hollandaise sauce is something I had wanted to post way back at the beginning of the alphabet, but it just didn't feel right giving it a post all to itself since it's just a condiment.

I've known that Savory Vegan Crepes were coming up for "S" and thought it would be delicious to top them with a Tangy Hollandaise Sauce, to represent "T".  

Boy was I correct!  The nuttiness of the buckwheat crepes is perfectly complemented by the tangy richness of the hollandaise sauce. Bonus that the whole thing is gluten free and soy free. Although it does have "wheat" in the name, buckwheat is actually a gluten free grain, a relative of rhubarb and sorrel, unrelated to wheat. 

Hollandaise sauce is a classic, creamy, egg-based emulsion flavored with butter and a bit of lemon. Hollandaise means Holland-style or "coming from Holland" but like many rich and butter-laden sauces, it is entirely a French creation.

When attempting to veganize hollandaise, it is common to see tofu replacing the egg. For that reason it is something that I've stayed away from until now. Recently, someone I follow on Instagram posted a vegan mayo recipe using oil and non-dairy milk, which inspired me to use a similar base to create a healthier, soy free, vegan version of hollandaise.

Savory Crepes Makes about 4 to 6 crepes, depending on size. 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 Cup unsweetened almond or rice milk
1/4 Cup water
1/2 Cup buckwheat flour
1/2 Cup brown rice flour
1/2 Cup chickpea flour
1 Tablespoon arrowroot flour
1/2 tsp salt

1. Mix everything in a blender, or whisk well in a bowl, then transfer to an air tight container and chill for at least one hour or over night.
2. Ladle 1/3 C to ½ C batter into the center of a heated pan. Tilt pan to spread the batter into a thin circular shape. Continue to tilt pan until the batter is fully spread and then sets.
3. Cook until top of the crepe is dry, center is bubbling and edges appear firm and lightly browned when gently lifted with a spatula 1 to 1 ½ min. Flip and cook on the other side for about 30 seconds.

4. Add your filling to the center, fold the crepe sides inward to cover the filling, then lift carefully from the pan onto a plate.  Top with Tangy Hollandaise Sauce. 

Keeping it simple with kale and yam, but you can add any variety of your favorite veggies.

Tangy Hollandaise Sauce
Makes about 1 Cup of mayo, or sauce 

Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil 

1/4 cup unsweetened almond or rice milk
1 small clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon dijon, or a pinch of mustard powder 

1 Tablespoon lemon juice, plus more if needed

1 Tablespoon ground flax seeds 

pinch of cayenne, or a few drops of hot sauce, optional, to taste

1 teaspoon turmeric 

sea salt and white pepper, to taste

water to thin

1. Add milk, garlic, dijon and lemon juice to a blender and blend until smooth. 

2. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until it is completely emulsified and creamy, about 30 seconds.  Stop the motor, add flax and blend again for a few more seconds until well incorporated and thick.  This will create a mayo. 

3. If using, add the cayenne or hot sauce and blend until incorporated. 

4. Transfer to a glass jar and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days.  When ready to use, scoop some of the mayo into a bowl, and whisk in a little water at a time until it is creamy and pourable. Whisk in turmeric and adjust seasoning.  If needed, add a little more lemon juice if it has lost its tang. 

Roasted Veggies 

1 medium sweet potato, or yam, diced 

1 medium parsnip, diced

1 small onion, diced 

[Other veggies of choice] 

1 Cup chopped kale 

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

fresh oregano

garlic or garlic powder

coriander and/or cilantro

1. Pre heat oven to 400º.  

2. Toss veggies, except kale with spices and drizzle in a small amount of olive oil. Lay flat onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  

3. Roast for 25 minutes, stir. Add kale and roast an additional 10 minutes, or until yams are easily pierced with a fork.