Easy Recipes from the Pot Rack – February 2025

Are you looking for a delicious and quick savory supper that doesn’t contain meat? I’ve got just the ticket! This Dutch Baby serves as a great vehicle for so many delicious combinations. And while I love the traditional powdered sugar and lemon cake… this guy is just a wonderful addition to your arsenal of possibilities.

Ingredients for 1 Baby

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup milk (whole is best)

3 large eggs

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

1 pound mushrooms (any combination you like, extra points if you forage your own!)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (no stems)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup vegetable broth or white wine

Arugula

Wedge of lemon

Instructions

  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and pre-heat to 425 degrees. Place a clean 10-inch cast-iron skillet on the rack and leave it to warm up.
  2. Whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, salt and pepper with a whisk until there are no visible lumps.
  3. Now whisk in 1 tablespoon each of thyme and chives.
  4. Carefully open the hot oven and add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the pan and swirl to melt. Use a basting brush to coat the bottom of the pan and up the sides as well.
  5. Immediately pour the batter into the hot skillet.
  6. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese.
  7. Bake until puffy and golden about 18 minutes.
  8. While that’s baking, slice your mushrooms to your liking. I prefer them pretty chunky.
  9. Mince 3 cloves garlic.
  10. De-stem thyme leaves and chop chives.
  11. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Sear until browned and please don’t move them around too much.
  12. Once the mushrooms have browned, season with the remaining 1 salt and several grinds black pepper and sauté until tender.
  13. Reduce the heat and add the minced garlic, remaining butter, and remaining 1 tablespoon thyme leaves. Sauté for a couple minutes more until fragrant.
  14. Add 1/4 cup white wine or broth and cook until mostly evaporated, 2 minutes more.
  15. Remove the Dutch Baby from the oven (if you haven’t already) and top it with the mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon chives and more Parmesan cheese.
  16. Serve with a handful of arugula and a squirt of lemon juice just for fun!

Origin Story—According to Sunset magazine, “Dutch Babies were introduced in the first half of the 1900s at Manca’s Cafe, a family-run restaurant that was located in Seattle, Washington, and that was owned by Victor Manca. While these pancakes are derived from the German pancake dish, it is said that the name Dutch Baby was coined by one of Victor Manca’s daughters, where “Dutch” perhaps was her corruption of the German autonym deutsch. Manca’s Cafe claimed that it owned the trademark for Dutch babies in 1942.”