Spinach pancakes with smoked trout and prawns

Method
Prep:15min  ›  Cook:30min  ›  Ready in:45min 

1. Wash the spinach and place in a saucepan, then cover and cook for about 2 minutes or until wilted – the water on the leaves is enough moisture. Drain well, pressing out excess water.
2. Place the spinach in a food processor and add the flour, milk, egg and nutmeg. Season, then process to a smooth batter. (If you don't have a food processor, see ‘Some more ideas’ footnote.)
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a 20 cm (8 in) non-stick frying pan, then pour out excess oil into a small bowl. Add enough batter to the pan to coat the bottom in a thin layer, tilting and swirling the hot pan as you do so. Cook for about 1 minute or until the pancake has set and is beginning to bubble, and the underside is lightly browned. Use a palette knife to loosen the edge of the pancake, then carefully turn it over and cook the other side.
4. Turn the pancake out onto a plate. Use the remaining batter to make 7 more pancakes, oiling the pan after every 2 pancakes, if necessary. Stack up the cooked pancakes on the plate as they are made, interleaving them with greaseproof paper. When all 8 pancakes are made, cover them with foil and keep them hot over a saucepan of hot water.
5. For the filling, melt the butter in a saucepan and add the mushrooms. Cook gently for 3 minutes, stirring. Add the peas and cook for 1 minute.
6. Whisk the flour into the milk until smooth, then pour this into the mushroom mixture. Bring to the boil, stirring, and simmer for 3 minutes. Stir in the prawns, trout, half of the cheese, the nutmeg and seasoning to taste.
7. Preheat the grill. Divide the filling among the pancakes, roll them up and place in a flameproof dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over and grill until golden. Serve immediately.

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Some more ideas

*If you do not have a food processor, sift the flour into a bowl, add the egg, nutmeg and seasoning, then gradually whisk in the milk. Finely chop the cooked spinach and stir it into the batter to mix evenly. *Leeks and sweetcorn make a delicious vegetarian filling. Instead of the mushrooms, peas, prawns and trout, use 2 leeks, thinly sliced; 2 red peppers, seeded and thinly sliced; and 1 can sweetcorn, about 400 g, well drained. Add 2 tsp made English mustard to the sauce, if liked, instead of the nutmeg. *Replace the prawns and trout with smoked haddock. Poach 280 g (10 oz) smoked haddock fillet in gently simmering water for about 5 minutes or until just cooked. Drain, skin and flake the fish, discarding any bones.

Plus points

*About one-third of the energy (calories) from trout is provided by fat, but only a small amount of this is saturated fat. Trout contains useful amounts of the fat-soluble vitamin E. *Spinach, milk and cheese all provide calcium, adequate supplies of which are important throughout life for healthy bones and teeth. Adolescent girls in particular need a plentiful supply to protect against osteoporosis in later life.

Each serving provides

B12, folate, calcium, A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, niacin, copper, iron zinc, potassium