Strawberry Pancake Roll-ups

Notes: This is our version of a popular spring breakfast special at the Buffalo Cafe in Whitefish, Montana. Thin and tender, the pancakes are rolled around a strawberry pink filling. You can make the strawberry sauce and cream cheese mixture (steps 1 and 2) up to 2 days ahead; cover separately and chill.

Yield: Makes about 8 roll-ups; 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2  quarts fresh strawberries, rinsed and hulled
• 6  tablespoons  sugar
• 2  tablespoons  lemon juice
• 8  ounces  cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 2  large eggs
• 1 1/2  cups  buttermilk
• 1  cup  milk
• Salad oil

Preparation

1. Thinly slice 2 cups strawberries. In a blender or food processor, whirl remaining 1 quart strawberries until smooth. Press through a fine strainer into a bowl, extracting as much liquid as possible with the back of a spoon or a spatula; discard residue. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar and the lemon juice into strawberry purée.

2. In the blender or food processor (no need to rinse), whirl cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the strawberry purée until blended and smooth.

3. In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. In another bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk, and milk just to blend. Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture just until evenly moistened.

4. Place a nonstick griddle or a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat (350°); when hot, coat lightly with oil and adjust heat to maintain temperature. Spoon batter in 1/2-cup portions onto griddle and cook until pancakes are browned on the bottom and edges begin to look dry, about 2 minutes; turn with a wide spatula and brown other sides, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes longer. As pancakes are cooked, transfer to baking sheets and keep warm in a 200° oven. Coat pan with more oil as necessary to pan to cook remaining pancakes.

5. Spread each pancake with about 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture and roll up. Set two roll-ups on each plate, top evenly with sliced strawberries, and drizzle with a little strawberry purée; serve with remaining purée to add to taste.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

646 (40% from fat)

Protein:

19g

Fat:

29g (sat 15)

Carbohydrate:

81g

Fiber:

7.5g

Sodium:

936mg

Cholesterol:

181mg