Green Silverbeet Pancakes
Ordinary pancakes with a secret: blanched silverbeet leaves blended into the batter. Bright green, mild in flavour, and a reliable hit with children.
This is the simplest trick in the book for getting greens into a family's week: ordinary pancake batter with blanched silverbeet leaves (from the plant also called Swiss chard or mangold) blended into the milk. The colour turns intensely green; the taste barely registers.
They're as good sweet as savoury, and they handle both the freezer and the lunchbox. Make a double batch while you're standing at the pan; they disappear fast.
Ingredients
- 150 g silverbeet leaves, stems removed
- 3 eggs
- 200 g plain flour
- 400 ml milk
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp melted butter, plus more for frying
Method
- 1Blanch the leaves in boiling water for 1 minute. Transfer to ice-cold water, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible.
- 2Blend the leaves with the milk until completely smooth. The milk should turn an even green with no visible flecks.
- 3Whisk flour and salt together in a bowl. Whisk in the eggs and the green milk to a smooth batter, then stir in the melted butter.
- 4Let the batter rest for 10 minutes while the pan heats up.
- 5Fry thin pancakes in a little butter over medium heat, about 2 minutes on the first side until the top has set, and 1 minute on the other.
- 6Stack the finished pancakes under a clean tea towel while you fry the rest; they stay soft and warm.
Serving suggestions
Serve rolled around grated cheese and ham for lunch, or the classic way with a little jam: the mild green batter takes both.
Make ahead, store, and reheat
Cook the pancakes, layer them with baking paper, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or revive them briefly in a dry frying pan, then straight into the lunchbox.
Troubleshooting
- The batter has green flecks instead of an even colour?
- The leaves weren't blended long enough. Give the blender another minute, and strain the batter through a sieve if you want it perfectly smooth.
- The pancakes tear when I flip them?
- Flip later. Wait until the top has set and the edges release from the pan, and use a wide spatula. An overly thin batter also makes them fragile; thin with milk at the end rather than starting too thin.
- The colour turns brown instead of green?
- The pan is too hot. The green holds best over medium heat; the pancakes should turn golden in patches, not brown all over.
Frequently asked questions
Do they taste of vegetables?
Barely. Blanching removes most of the earthy notes, and milk and butter round off the rest. Most children only register the colour.
Can I use spinach or frozen silverbeet instead?
Yes. Frozen, thawed silverbeet goes straight into the blender (squeeze out the water first), and spinach can be used raw in the same quantity.
Can I make the batter heartier?
Swap half the plain flour for wholemeal and add an extra splash of milk. The pancakes come out slightly darker but hold together just as well.