Savory crepes and more for your guests

When I was a young cook, I was blessed with the opportunity to stagier (work for free to gain experience) in a number of kitchens around the country and in Europe. I spent a special week in the kitchen of An American Place, superchef Larry Forgione’s groundbreaking restaurant in New York City. This dish was inspired by one of his dishes. Like most chefs, I am a collection of my experiences. Once you make this, you will be thanking Larry as well ... it’s delicious.

Make the sauce: In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and sauté until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the garlic cool in the oil. Whisk in the ketchup, vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and espresso, return to medium-low heat, and simmer gently for 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Remove from the heat and let cool. Reserve the orange zest for adding to the sauce later. You should have about 1-2/3 cups.

Make the crepe batter: In a bowl, stir together the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pinch of pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until well combined. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, whisking to prevent lumps. Do not overbeat the batter.

Put the butter in a cold skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning in spots but without moving the pan, until it browns evenly, about 2 minutes. Add the green onions, mix well, and cook for 15 seconds. Add the green onion mixture to the batter and whisk to combine. The batter should just coat the back of a spoon. If it seems too thick, whisk in a little milk or water. You should have about 2 cups batter. Cover and refrigerate the batter until you are ready to cook the crepes, or up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cook the chicken: Generously season the chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper. In a 12-inch skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook until nicely caramelized on the first side, 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Turn the thighs over and cook until the second side is lightly caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Pour off all the remaining chicken fat and carefully add the sauce to the skillet. When the sauce begins to simmer, move the skillet to the oven and cook until the thighs are tender and the meat easily pulls away from the bones, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven, add the reserved orange zest, and allow the chicken to cool in the sauce.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-heat. Add 1/4 cup of the crepe batter to the hot skillet. Remove the skillet from the heat and tilt it to coat the bottom evenly with the batter. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and cook until the underside is lightly browned, 50 to 60 seconds. Using your fingertips, carefully turn the crepe over and cook on the second side for 10 to 15 seconds. Set the cooked crepe aside on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter to make 8 crepes total.

Remove the chicken from the sauce. Pull the meat and skin from the bones, discard the skin and bones, and tear the meat into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Remove 3/4 cup of the sauce and set aside. Return the chicken strips to the remaining sauce.

Lightly spray the bottom of two 10-inch pie pans or plates with olive oil cooking spray. Stack 2 crepes in the bottom of each pan. Spread a single layer of chicken over each stack of crepes, and set 1 more crepe over each layer of chicken. Spread another layer of chicken on top. Finish each stack with 1 more crepe. Cover each pan with aluminum foil.

Bake the crepe stacks until hot throughout, 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the slaw: Quarter and core the apple. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the apple as thinly as possible into julienne and place in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and mix well. Add the cabbage, green onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and mix well. You should have about 8 cups.

When the stacks are warm, remove from the oven, remove the foil, and carefully invert each pie pan onto a cutting board. Lift off the pans. Cut each stack into quarters. Place a wedge on each serving plate. Arrange a bundle of the slaw beside each wedge. Drizzle some of the reserved sauce over each plate. Serve at once.

Warm, oozing chocolate sandwiches for dessert ... need I say more? In the purest example of casual entertaining, I often host a panini party. I put the press right on the counter with all the ingredients, pull out the wine and tumblers, and allow everyone to make their own sandwiches. Finish 'em off with this showstopper.

Butter 1 side of each bread slice, then put 4 slices, buttered side down, on a work surface. Top the bread slices with the chocolate, distributing it evenly. Top the chocolate with a second slice of bread, buttered side up. Sprinkle both buttered sides of each sandwich with the cinnamon.

Preheat a sandwich press until hot, or preheat a grill pan or nonstick skillet on the stove top until hot. Lightly oil the surface if it is not nonstick. Place 2 sandwiches on the sandwich press, close, and cook until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes. If using a grill pan or skillet, place as many sandwiches in the pan as will fit without crowding, cover with a weight (a second skillet works well; put a can of tomatoes in the skillet if it is not heavy enough), and cook until nicely browned on the first side, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook until the second side is well browned, about 2 minutes longer. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

Cut the sandwiches in half and serve immediately. Pass the crème fraîche at the table. Each guest takes a small amount for dipping his or her sandwich.