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dish. Repeat with the remaining crêpes and filling, fitting them together snugly in the dish. Pour the sauce over the crêpes. Sprinkle with the cheese. Broil until the cheese begins to brown in spots, about 10 minutes. Serve.

savory crêpes

MAKES 8 TO 10 CRÊPES

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

⅔ cup whole milk

1 tablespoon plus

1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

⅔ cup all-purpose flour

Nonstick cooking spray

Blend the eggs, egg yolks, milk, 2½ tablespoons water, the butter, sugar, and salt in a blender for 5 seconds. Add the flour in three additions, blending the batter until smooth after each addition. Cover and let rest in the blender container in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. Reblend the batter for 5 seconds before using.

Heat a crêpe pan, or a nonstick skillet measuring 7 to 8 inches across the bottom, over medium-high heat until it is hot. Spray the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Add a scant ¼ cup of the crêpe batter to the pan. Immediately tilt and rotate the pan quickly to cover the bottom evenly with a layer of batter. Cook the crêpe until the bottom is golden, about 30 seconds. Loosen the edges gently with a spatula, turn the crêpe over, and cook until the bottom is very lightly brown in spots, 30 to 60 seconds. Turn the crêpe out onto a plate. Repeat, using the remaining batter in the same manner, spraying the pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray as necessary and stacking the crêpes one on top of the other on the plate. (The crêpes can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap them well in plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

AVOCADO EGG ROLLS WITH CALIFORNIA CHILE-PRUNE SAUCE

SERVES 6

3 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Twelve 7-inch square wonton wrappers

California Chile-Prune Sauce (opposite)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Vegetable oil, for frying

To create these vegetarian egg rolls I use wonton wrappers, which can be found in the refrigerated section in well-stocked supermarkets. You can use store-bought prune sauce in place of the California Chile-Prune Sauce; just mix some ground California chiles into the prune sauce. Either purchased or homemade, spicy prune sauce is the perfect counterpoint for fresh avocados.

Gently mix the avocados, bell pepper, and olive oil in a medium bowl. Season the avocado mixture with salt and pepper.

Place 1 wonton wrapper on a work surface. Spread 1 tablespoon of the chile-prune sauce down the center. Spoon a scant ¼ cup of the avocado mixture over the sauce. Fold the bottom of the wonton wrapper over the filling, then fold the sides of the wrapper in over the filling. Brush the top edge of the wrapper with some of the beaten egg. Roll it up tightly, pressing to seal the edge. Repeat with the remaining wonton wrappers, avocado mixture, and chile-prune sauce. (The egg rolls can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Place a medium-size heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, and add enough oil to reach halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat the oil to 350°F. Working in batches, fry the egg rolls in the hot oil, turning them occasionally, for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer the egg rolls to paper towels to drain. Serve hot or warm.

california chile-prune sauce

MAKES 1 CUP

¾ cup honey

½ cup chopped pitted dried prunes

½ cup fresh orange juice

¼ cup fresh lime juice

4 California chiles, stemmed, seeded, and torn into pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine the honey, prunes, half of the orange juice, half of the lime juice, and the chiles in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chiles are soft. Let the sauce cool slightly.

Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Stir in the remaining orange and lime juices. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 2 days ahead. Cool, then cover and keep refrigerated.)

AVOCADO MOUSSE

SERVES