SALAD BASKET CRÊPES WITH GRAPES, BLUE CHEESE & HAZELNUTS At a waterfront crêperie in Toulouse, France, waitresses set forth plate-sized crêpes shaped like a basket and filled with mesclun embellished with Roquefort cheese and toasted hazelnuts. Under the shade of the red-and-white-striped canopy, this dish was casual summertime dining at its best. Four 9- or 10-inch buckwheat galettes, or herb or garbanzo flour crêpes SHALLOT VINAIGRETTE 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 shallot, minced Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 handfuls mixed baby greens
1/4 cup Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or blue cheese
1 cup seedless red or green grapes, or 1 Comice or Anjou pear, cored and thinly sliced
1/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and coarsely chopped

Prepare the crêpes. Cover the crêpes with aluminum foil and keep warm in a preheated 300-degree-F oven, or cover and reheat them in a baking pan in a preheated 325-degree-F oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

To make the vinaigrette: In a jar or small bowl, shake or whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, shallot, and salt and pepper to taste until blended.

Place the salad greens in a large bowl. Toss the greens with the vinaigrette. Place a crêpe on a dinner plate, spoon the greens into the center, and fold up the sides to encase the greens and form a basket shape. Scatter the cheese, fruit, and nuts over the greens. Repeat to fill all the crêpes.

Makes 4 crêpes; serves 4.

NOTE: To toast and skin hazelnuts, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the nuts in a pie pan and bake for 8 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Wrap the hazelnuts in a cloth towel and rub to remove most of the skins. Let cool before using.

[Crêpes, Sweet & Savory Recipes for the Home Cook, Lou Seibert Pappas]